December 2018, We can make a difference

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WE CAN CHANGE THE

WORLD

Motivate. Activate. Celebrate.

F E AT U R E

Index:

Making a Difference

Feature..................................................2 Editorial Calendar...............................3 Global Issues........................................4 Action....................................................8 Peace....................................................10 Politics.................................................11 Kindness.............................................12 Technology.........................................15 Poetry..................................................16 Art........................................................18 Travel/ Exchange Students..............20 Art........................................................22 Parent’s Corner..................................23 Volunteer opportunity is available for students and adults.

Contact us info@kidsstandard.com Let us know if your school wants to partner with us.

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Dear Readers,

T

he question of what it means to “make a difference” is rather personal, as it depends on our cultural, religious, and moral beliefs. Most commonly, nonetheless, this means to make some positive difference and to, somehow, leave the world a better place than we found it.

There will always be people, whose brilliant minds create milestones in the human civilization. For most of us, however, making a difference is rarely about some dramatic global changes or radical reinvention. While we do strive to make major contributions to society, realistically, making a difference in our everyday lives is what allows us to create our impact.

Frequently, making a difference is subtle. It is about taking responsibility for our own actions and intentionally contributing to the common good. It is about acknowledging goodness in others and initiating a positive exchange. It is about showing

Arina Bokas

Kids’ Standard Editor & Author of Building Powerful Learning Environments: From Schools to Communities

kindness and bringing peace.

We can do things both large and small on a daily basis. Read our December issue We Can Change the World to find out how you, too, can bring about a change.

Enjoy!

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E DFIETAT O RUI R AE L CALENDAR

Motivate. Activate. Celebrate January 2019

My Friends and I Our friends are important to us. Tell us about your relationships with your friends, important connections between you, and meaningful experiences that you have had together. What lessons have your friendships taught you?

What is the difference between real friends and fake friends? What makes someone a good friend? Why do people need friends? How does our choice of friends shape our character?

Share your experiences and ideas about anything related to friends, peer pressure, and developing friendships.

February 2019 Taking A Stand

March 2019

Embracing Wellness The term “wellness” is very popular nowadays. However, it has become so broad that it often lacks meaning.

American Heart Association recommends that, for health purposes, people accumulate 10,000 steps or more a day (about five miles of walking.) Few people do, however. Any regular physical activity can relieve stress, anxiety, depression, and anger. What are other benefits of being active? What gets you up and moving? Write about your favorite physical activity, sport, dance, or fitness routine. Why is it important to you? How does it make you feel? Share stories of athletes, dancers, and other people whose lives revolve around moving.

April 2019

One of the common definitions of taking a stand is to publicly assert one's support of, defense of, or opposition to something. Nearly every day, we are faced with something that brings out intense feelings – something that we feel strongly about. Whether it is a political, social, or personal choice, we feel compelled to speak up. Why is it important to take a stand on issues? Is there something that brings up strong feelings in you? Write about something that you either support or oppose.

Research historical figures who took a stand on an important issue and made a difference for others.

DECEMBER 2018

Creative Expressions This issue invites you to creatively express yourself. Do you like photography? Take a photo of something that catches your attention, add special effects, create collages, and share how this image captures your thoughts and emotions. Do you like art? Paint or draw a picture and write how this artwork expresses your ideas and feelings. Do you like to build and create using clay, wood, Lego, glass, or any other media?

Create your piece of art and capture on paper what it represents. You can write a creative story or share with us what other creative outlet (music, filmmaking, dance, acting, writing, etc) allows you to best express yourself and why.

May 2019

This issue is dedicated to Michigan Youth Project

2018-2019 Editorial Calendar 1st annual Project for Youth: PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE. Through the 2019 academic year students from public schools will be mentored by information specialists, designers, engineers, teachers, and University students to understand their city, County or State rich history, complex contemporary as well as create the vision of their successful future. Participating students will first learn how to research historical information and summarize their findings. Then, they will learn from their community and peers, through guided conversation, about their city or county, even State as it stands today. And lastly, student teams will work to envision the future—supported by all their prior work—and create an output to represent their ideas (e.g. video, models, drawings, creative writing, the actual prototype, etc.).

This project engages youth in the lives of their communities and helps them design their future. How would they like their personal future to look? How do they want to see their city? Their community? And what are they willing to do (the work they need to do today) to have that future?

Student final presentations will be held at The Crofoot in Pontiac.

June 2019

How Kids’ Standard Helped Me Grow Video Contest Each Kids’ Standard club is invited to work as a team to create a video of team members’ experiences with Kids’ Standard. Students will write a script, assume various roles in video preparation, and put together a short 4-5 minute video. Creators of the best-voted video will receive cash prizes.

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GLOBAL ISSUES

Recycling By: James Holowinski, 2nd grade, Gretchko Elementary,

O

West Bloomfield

ur world is becoming very polluted. Recycling is a good way to help our environment.

There are many things that you can recycle: Plastic, glass, metal, electronics, computers, newspapers, magazines and cardboard. Recycling turns an old item into a new item. The top countries that recycle are South Korea and Germany.

The United States is number 18 for recycling, and New Zealand is one of the worst.

Recycling is important. By recycling,

we have less trash, which pollutes our soil, water and trees. Some reasons why we should recycle are to save our natural resources and wildlife, save money, reduce pollution, save energy, reduce landfill, and create jobs.

It is easy to recycle. Each house has a recycle bin that is red or green. All of the recyclable materials go into that bin.

Put your milk jugs, cereal and cracker boxes, and other paper, plastic, and glass containers in this bin, and they will be recycled.

Recycling is something that you can do to make the world a better place. You can make a difference!

Pollution By: Jumana Dahodwala, 4th grade, Sheiko Elementary,

H

West Bloomfield

ave you ever thought about how much pollution you make? Now is your time to change it and make your own positive impact on this world.

There are many ways you can reduce your own pollution. Stop throwing garbage in the ocean because it harms sea mammals and the ocean habitat. Stop cutting trees because it makes less habitat for animals. Plant more trees instead! Ride a bike or walk, since cars produce carbon, which contributes to global warming.

When you are older, drive electric cars and environment-friendly products!

You can make a difference by helping decrease pollution.

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GLOBAL ISSUES

The Problem of Space Debris By: Mekhi Battle, 9th grade, Clarkston Junior High School

R

ecently, there has been a lot of talk about space junk and the problems caused by it. ¨There are over 7500 tons of space waste¨, according to BBC, and that number is growing rapidly. The less we do to address it, the more dangerous it can be in the long run.

There are places, like UNOOSA (United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs), that deal with this issue, which could become extremely dangerous for the Earth.

Many people think that space junk is not the most pressing issue right now in space because it could be a easy fix with the new technology. Professor Henry Hertzfeld of George Washington University, for example, directly questions this issue, ¨ Is this the most pressing issue thing in space that we should

DECEMBER 2018

be worrying about?” Hertzfeld also adds that we should be worrying about other things, like launch failure and manufacturing defects, which could pose immediate problems.

Space debris is a huge problem, and there are very valid pieces of evidence that support this. Agence France-Presse from Newsela argues that junk moves incredibly fast for the size. If one of those fast moving pieces runs into one of the space crafts, it could crash, hurt people, and create more space junk.

Some of space junk could take out a spacecraft single handedly. “Small pieces can do damage like rifle bullets hitting metal, ” she says. If even the tiny pieces are threats to our space crafts now, imagine if we let it go and it keeps progressing into more junk to the point where it’s too dangerous for us to travel into space.

Though the space debris size and speed is a huge problem, I think what a lot of people have missed is how this could pose a problem for future space travel. For instance, the junk increases by 25%, according to Forbes, and at this rate, we will get to the point where it won’t even be safe for us to travel in space. As the orbit gets more and more crowded, we will need to get rid of satellites, which will be a huge crisis. More importantly, the things that are now in space will start coming down on us.

Though space debris comes with a lot of problems, I think the solutions are very promising. UNOOSA and many countries are coming together to fix this big problem. They plan on sending clean-up rockets that will collect the garbage. As humankind, we need to take care of the junk as soon as possible, before it’s too late.

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GLOBAL ISSUES

Sign Language By: Josephine Eischen,

I

Kindergarten, Bailey Lake Elementary, Clarkston

have two deaf parents. I think one problem in the world is that not everyone knows how to speak sign language. There are many people who cannot talk, and we can make a difference for them by learning to communicate with them the way they can. I overcame this challenge of my parents being deaf by learning sign language, so I can talk to them.

I thought learning sign language was easy. When I was only one year old, I knew how to say dad, mom, water, and other simple words. As I grew older, I learned more and more words.

I want to help teach people how to speak sign language because I think it's important. I like speaking sign language because it's different from everyone else’s, and lets me stand out from my classmates. It is also cool speaking two languages because I think it’s fun!

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GLOBAL ISSUES

Save the Sharks

By: Brayden Sonshine, 2nd grade, Gretchko Elementary, West Bloomfield

I

f you care about the ocean as much as I do, then wouldn’t you do everything that you can to save the animals that live inside it?

Sharks are the top predators of the sea. From their powerful tails to their ferocious jaws, they are the kings of the

ocean. A shark can grow the length of a bus. Great white sharks grow up to 15 feet long, and they can grow one thousand teeth!

Sharks are endangered animals that we need to preserve. One way you can help save the sharks is by not participating in a type of hunting called shark finning. Shark finning is when hunters take the fins of a shark and discard the rest.

This is no way for a shark to live its life,

and it must be stopped.

Pollution is another way sharks can become injured. Pollution kills around 100 million sharks a year. One way to stop pollution is by discarding your trash in the garbage can and not on the ground.

So, remember never to pollute our precious ocean and always keep in mind that sharks are an important part of our world. Don’t hurt them.

By: Landon Wrobel, Kindergarten, Bailey Lake Elementary Clarkston

P

overty is a big issue in our world. A lot of people are without food, good water, clothing, or a good place to live.

A way we can help with the problem of poor people is to give donations to the homeless and various charities. I want to help with this issue by giving money and food to those in need. I can also help families get a house by giving them money.

Another issue in the world is lack of water. I can help with this by giving water bottles to those in need.

One way to help with this is to get poor people a job so they can have money for food and water. I hope that one day poverty will no longer be a problem.

DECEMBER 2018

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AC T I O N

Little Things Can Make A Big Difference!

By: Ivana Patke, 2nd grade, Gretchko Elementary,

L

West Bloomfield

ittle things can make a big difference, no matter where we are - at school, home, or other places. I do things at home that make a difference for my family. When my daddy and mommy are gone, I clean the dishes.

When my grandma, grandpa, and parents are gone, too, my aunty and uncle take care of me. I make food for my aunt and uncle, when they are watching me.

I teach and play games with them. They

enjoy doing that with me.

I give money to poor people and sometimes buy them food. Helping older people or disabled walk across the street

is something that anyone can do, but it makes a difference for them.

Helping others is fun! It makes you and other people feel good.

Make a Difference in Your School By: Jonan Asmar, 1st grade, Gretchko Elementary, West Bloomfield

W

ould you like to make a difference at your school? We can start with standing up to bullying. Some examples are hitting, calling names, and yelling at people. Nobody likes to be bullied. Bullying makes people less confident, and it hurts their feelings.

When people bully others, it can make going to school not so fun. One way to stop bullying is to talk to friends and classmates with respect. Some ways to treat others with respect is to stand up for others who are being bullied. You can do this by telling the bully that his or her actions are not kind. Be helpful, pick up others when they are down, and give a helping hand. Always be a friend and not an enemy.

Video games like Fortnite, Call of Duty, and Grand Theft Auto can make kids act out in school. They pretend they are playing the aggressive games while in the classroom and often act out. Be careful with your own actions.

Your can make your school a better place! From giving a helping hand to sticking up for a classmate, you can make a difference in your own world!

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2nd grade, Andersonville Elementary,

o you want to change the world? Big changes start with little steps, and you, too, can bring about some change.

You can help your community by following the law. You can spread kindness to other people and help those in need.

You can help our environment by recycling. Don’t be wasteful with things we really need in life, like food, clothes, and water. Don't throw away what we can use again. Care about things and appreciate what you have, because one day you might not have it.

All these little steps will help create a better world!

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P E AC E

I Have A Dream...

By: Inaya Qureshi, 5th grade, Sheiko Elementary, West Bloomfield

I

have a dream to have peace in our world.

And this peace begins with me and you.

Our actions reflect on others. We should always be mindful of what we say and how we behave.

The first step is to be kind and love others.

When you are kind and love people, this will make the others do the same. The next step is to respect them. If you are kind and love people, you respect their customs, perspectives, beliefs, and political views, even if they differ from your own.

Finally, you should trust people. Be honest. After loving, respecting, and trusting someone, you will receive the same from him or her.

I can change the world by being mindful of my actions towards others so they can do the same.

Love, respect, and trust are the keys to changing the world. I have a dream to bring peace to the world by starting with myself and allowing my actions change the people around me. This is my dream.

The Army By: Abby Mandziuk, 2nd grade, Andersonville Elementary, Davisburg

T

he Army changes the world by protecting the country and its citizens. The Army allows us to live our lives safely and happily. My Great Grandpa Walter was in the Army in one of the branches of the USA. Many brave men and women, like my grandpa Walter, protect our country every day.

Military people make a real difference because they keep us out of harm’s way.

They allow us to live in peace. They protected the country in the past and continue to do so today!

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P OF LE IAT T IU CR SE

By: Kelley Kavouras, 5th grade, Andersonville Elementary, Davisburg

W

hat is one simple way that you can make your voice heard? The answer is rather obvious - voting. Voting can change our world for the better one vote at a time! Voting is the right that you get when you turn 18.

Is it fair that you have to wait till you are 18? In my opinion, it is fair, because to vote, people need to have formed beliefs and mature understanding of things. If a 2 year old was allowed

DECEMBER 2018

Voting to vote, for what exactly will he or she be voting? That one vote might pick someone, who is not equipped, for the job.

Voting hasn’t always been fair though.

For a long time, not everyone had the right to vote. According to history.com, women weren’t allowed to vote until around August 18, 1920 (two hundred years from the time that the first voting took place.) African American men weren’t allowed to vote until February 3, 1870 - only 50 years before women had the right to vote.

As important as voting is, does it always produce the right results? On

November 14, 2018, I asked three high school students two questions about voting: How, do you think, voting has changed in the time you’ve been alive? and How, do you think, voting should be changed? The answers were very similar. More people are now interested to vote, especially younger people. At the same time, more people vote for the candidates of their political parties and not for the people they like. This is something that needs to change.

You can change the world by doing your research and voting for people, not parties. Always remember to vote!

Always remember that you have a voice.

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KINDNESS

We Can Change the World by Being Nice By: Olivia Spitznas, 5th grade, Springfield Plains Elementary, Clarkston

Kindness Can Change Our World By: Ava Hennigh, 5th grade, Springfield Plains Elementary, Clarkston

K

indness is one of the greatest things in the world.

Kindness happens daily, whether you notice it or not, and it changes our world for the better. Some of the simple things that you can do are to smile at someone or to give someone a note with nice words on it. You could also participate in the Shoebox and Rake and Run Projects. When you show kindness, it can make someone’s day.

Smiling is one way you could show kindness. Smiling is just a small thing that changes our world for the better. If no one smiled at you, that would change how you felt throughout the day. The impact of a smile is so great that it might even make someone’s day. Smiling may seem like a small act, but it can help bring happiness to others.

Another kind act is giving someone a kind note. It could boost someone's confidence just to read a note saying “thank you for helping me.” A nice note can also help people feel better if they are down.

You should do this because it can make a person’s day and it's very simple. This could spread positivity throughout the community and world.

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The Shoebox Project is also something that I think can spread kindness. You collect items that could go to everyday use, and they get packaged into shoeboxes and shipped to families in need of these simple, everyday necessities. This is an act of kindness that affects the world and people's lives in a positive way.

The Shoebox Project brings smiles to people’s faces and really helps them; it also gives them something they need and helps them get more confident.

Another act of kindness that I see in my community is the Rake and Run. People rake leaves for others, who cannot do it themselves. This act of kindness is very important and brings a relief to many elderly or disabled people. If you have the Rake and Run in your community, I would recommend signing up for it so you could see how it feels to make someone’s day.

Kindness changes our world so much for the better. As you can see, there are always a few things you could do to show kindness.

Kindness impacts our world positively, and if you show kindness, you are making an impact on yourself and others, creating a domino effect.

W

hy should we be kind? When we are kind, it makes us happy and it makes other people happy, too. We can change the world by smiling at people, helping the earth, and donating to those in need.

The first way you can be kind is by smiling at someone. When you smile at someone, it creates a chain reaction of smiles! Smiles are contagious... you’ve probably heard this before, but it’s true!

Smiling can cheer someone up. If someone is in a bad mood and it is ruining his or her day, you have the power to change it. By making people happy, smiling makes the world a better place.

Another way you can be kind is by helping the Earth and the people in it. Too often, people see garbage on the streets, and too often, people walk right passed it. The problem with this is that everyone thinks that they don’t have to be the ones to pick it up, because it is not their responsibility or problem. Then the garbage never gets picked up. It becomes our problem. We have to take responsibility and make a change. If one person stopped to pick that piece of trash off the ground, others would be inspired to do the same. You should be the person that picks it up and throws it in the garbage. This helps people by making the world a clean, healthy environment. By being that one person that picks the trash and being kind to the Earth, you can change the world.

Finally, you can be kind by donating old clothes and toys to local shelters. I feel really good when my family donates clothes and such to shelters because I know that they need them more than me, and it makes me happy to know how I helped them. Donating is a way of showing kindness to people, who are less fortunate than you. When we show kindness by donating, not only can we change people’s lives but also we can change the world.

Being kind in different ways changes the world!

Being kind to people can make you feel happy, while sharing that happiness with others. If everyone did things like this, our world would be a better place! Like Gandhi said, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”

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By: Eli Caruso, 2nd grade, Gretchko Elementary, West Bloomfield

T

echnology is a great tool that can help us make a difference. One of greatest technological inventions is the iPad. I love using my iPad to connect with my family and friends and brighten their day. I often use Facetime to make my family members’ day by giving them a smile and letting them be part of my life. Especially, I like to Facetime my Uncle Kevin, Aunt Jess, and Nana! I can do this all with one click of a button, even if they are on the other side of the world.

Steve Jobs created the iPad and many other technology products. He made a huge difference in so many people’s lives by creating this invention. Technology can become a great tool to spread peace and get to know people in far-away places. It helps us stay connected, informed, and united.

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POETRY

Hard Work By: Jason Zoch, 11th grade, Clarkston High School, Clarkston

The driving factor to all success Is shown through action The oxygen to a living object The determination to be determined Not earned through wanting it, but needing it Hard work, the grain to the luscious rough tree, Weaving its way through the depths of life Blood, sweat, tears, the 3 musketeers.

All needed for work but amped up for hard work.

Answer to every equation It doesn't come from nothing, but everything

Punching the haters in the face Doing it anyway, because its your way Not being afraid Loving the hate Opposing the opposers, standing to be heard Never giving up, no matter what Driving towards the goal, because even if you don’t, Other people STILL won’t.

Drifting from lane to lane Riding the unridden road Finding the unfound mysteries Running swiftly to and fro Not there for anyone’s show The inner fight may never be found But it can be obtained It's just how hard you work, at the game.

Running the race

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POETRY

World Erased By: Brendan Leddy, 12th grade, Clarkston High School, Clarkston

A-Murder B-Chaos C-Rubbish D-Deterioration E-Rescue F-Ruler Everyday the world deals with murder Deals with the chaos Waters full of rubbish Causing the beautiful oceans mass deterioration That is why we must rescue Not only ourselves but the world as a whole with the help of a ruler.

Not the math type of ruler But the ruler that will stop this murder That will help us save, heal and rescue The ruler that will end this chaos Stop this overload of deforestation and the lands deterioration Clean the world of this rubbish full of rubbish And I mean all the rubbish.

Clean the waters of the pollution that causes murder

Not Just the rubbish we call our ruler.

Clean the waters so that we can rescue

And not only the Rubbish that causes deterioration

Rescue all the beautiful creatures below with the help our ruler

The rubbish that causes this murder The rubbish that causes this chaos That is why we need to rescue Save the people of our planet that need rescue Save the life of our planet stuck in this rubbish Save the world from this chaos.

The world needs help from our ruler To put an end to this murder That aides in the worlds deterioration We must put a stop to mass deterioration Stop the desertification and the pollution of waters now

DECEMBER 2018

Save the creatures stuck in this chaos Land and Water surrounded by chaos Chaos including deforestation Deforestation that can be stopped by one ruler Ruler who can Rescue A ruler who can save a world full of rubbish A ruler who can put an end to this murder Clean the world full of rubbish Aide the world that needs rescue End the world full of murder.

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Murals For Happiness

By: Brandon Hoffmann, 5th grade, Springfield Plains Elementary Clarkston

H

ave you ever seen a mural in your community? If so, I bet you liked it, and you probably wished there were more of them.

If murals were everywhere you went, it would make you happy. Murals make cities brighter, people happier, and as a result, more people will want to come to that city.

First, murals will make the city

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brighter. Many walls are plain and boring, especially if there is not much to the architecture. If there were murals there, they won't be so boring. My art teacher created two murals in downtown Clarkston, and every time I walk past them, I feel like my town is brighter.

Second, murals do make people happier. They elevate mood. If you have ever walked by a mural, you would know it. If there were more murals, they could make you even happier! When I went to New Orleans, I saw a mural of a giant clarinet, and it made me feel happy

inside. If there were murals like this in more cities, it would make a lot more people happy.

Last, murals are art, and art always makes more people want to come and see it. If there were really good murals in a city, it would make more people come to that city to see them. For example, on the back of The Fed in downtown Clarkston, there’s a mural. It makes people go behind The Fed just to see it.

Murals can make our world brighter and people happier. They make me happy inside.

www.KidsStandard.org

January 23rd, 2019 Presentation on History of Pontiac at 5:30pm at The Crofoot

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Pontiac Youth's Project PAST

PRESENT

FUTURE

Kids Standard is excited to partner with Pontiac Public Schools, Civil Society and businesses in Pontiac to celebrate the city’s 200th Anniversary with the 1st annual Project for Youth: PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE. Through the 2018-19 academic year students from Pontiac public schools will be mentored by information specialists, historians, designers, engineers, teachers, and Oakland University students to understand the city’s rich history, complex contemporary climate, and envision futures for their city’s success. Participating students will first learn how to research historical information and after summarize their work and present their work in front of public on stage.

Benefit:

Timeline: 25 OCT

Project for Youth launch and information

19 JANUARY

Submit research summary about Pontiac’s history for print in Kids Standard May’s issue

23 JANUARY

Presentations of historical research at Crofoot.

4 MARCH

Initial Meeting on PRESENT at each school

14 APRIL

Submission for PRESENT

24 APRIL

Presentation for PRESENT at The Crofoot

29 APRIL

Initial Meeting for FUTURE project at each school

24 MAY

Submission of each FUTURE Project

29 MAY

Final presentations of student projects

Note: The day of the presentation we welcome everyone to join us.

It’s a free event. We will have food and refreshment!

All community members, businesses, parents, educators, retirees, City/ Oakland County government should attend this event to cheer and encourage our youth who are going to build their future and impact the community!

We will have all of the students display their project at the event and stand by the project talking to the guests as they come. They will also present on the stage. We will ask the audience to do the judging and awards will be presented accordingly!

By the end of the Project for Youth, not only will students better know their city but they will also feel invested in its future and form lasting relationships with their mentors to gain skills for research, discussion, and ideation. Community members involved in mentorship will be able to meet and build relationships with others active in the community, and gain the satisfaction of making a positive change for community students.

Success: This is going to directly impact the students who are involved so they can galvanize other students to impact their community.

By the end of the program, we want to receive feedback from student participants on how they encountered and overcame challenges, learned to work through processes of problem solving, and grew individually and collectively. Additionally, students should leave the program communicating a commitment to community developement of Pontiac.

All projects will be displayed at Crofoot in downtown Pontiac. Each group will receive prizes accordingly! All of our sponsors, mentors and substantial donors will be recognized at the event. A teacher for the 1st place winner will get a special award! The event will be televised and covered by the local paper.

We will start the same project with more Oakland County Schools in Jan, 2019!

The final presentation will be combined with all other participating Oakland county schools.

KIDS STANDARD PUBLICATION INC

Contact: 248-410-3976 | 2480410-3976 | Email: maggie@kidsstandard.org website: www.kidsstandard.org This is an intellectual property of Kids Standard Publication Inc, Michigan. Al rights are reserved.

T R AV E L / E X C H A N G E S T U D E N T S

Changing the World One Student at aTime Translation By: Misato Awano

taking math class. Also my experiences at my host family.

Sorano Nagai: Talking about issues concerning the country during class. My ITA student pair helped me with the content during class and helped me participate.

Hikaru Sugito: Spending time with my host family for the first time. Speaking English. Spending time with students of the same grade at school. The differences in classroom atmosphere, and how it was an open atmosphere.

J

apaneese Middle School students who were chosen to become ambassadors in Pontiac, Michigan, went through some rigorous selection process.

The process started with screening through written application and interviews (including interviews in English) at each school. After the screening process, the principle at each school nominated a student representative to the Kusatsu Board of Education, which confirmed the seven students.

We asked the students to answer a few questions.

What did you look forward to when coming to Pontiac?

Moe Aratani (Takaho Middle School): I particularly looked forward to homestaying.

Sasa Takemura (Kusatsu Middle School): I looked forward to experiencing the differences from Japan.

Sorano Nagai (Oikami Middle School): Going to a different country, I looked forward to experiencing a culture that Japanese people will be surprised about.

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Hikaru Sugito (Tamagawa Middle School): I looked forward to experiencing the differences in food, studies and culture between the United States and Japan.

Hikari Yokoe (Shindou Middle School): I assumed Americans to be friendly people, and I looked forward to meeting and making many friends. My assumption was true.

Minami Yotsumoto (Matsubara Middle School): I had never been to the United States, so everything including school life was something I looked forward to.

Rafu Yamamoto (Kousen Middle School): I looked forward to communicating with the people in Pontiac.

What was your best experience in Pontiac?

Moe Aratani: My best experience was going to school. I had fun playing volleyball and singing songs. The students at ITA were friendly. I thank them and wish to meet them again.

Sasa Takemura: My best experience was

Minami Yotsumoto: The people of Pontaic were very kind, cheerful and friendly. I was able to meet many people during the 2 days I was at ITA. When I could not understand English, my ITA pair student explained to me many times so that I could understand. After my first intoduction presentation, some students gave me a "good job" which I was happy about. Everyone was very friendly to me. This one week was the happiest week ever.

Rafu Yamamoto: Becoming friends with Kaden at my host family and communicating with him.

What are some differences between school life in Pontiac and Kusatsu?

Sasa Takemura: At the school in Pontiac, there was a self-study class every day.

We did not belong to a particular classroom, and middle school students and high school students were friendly to each other.

Sorano Nagai: Students at ITA were friendly, and unlike Japan, students were very active in communicating with us.

Hikaru Sugito: There was freedom in the academic environment. There are many electives in school subjects. www.KidsStandard.org

T R AV E L / E X C H A N G E S T U D E N T S Hikari Yokoe: At my school in Japan, I sit at a desk and mostly listen to the teacher during class, however, at ITA, there was a lot of active learning classes.

Many students had their own opinions and were able to express them. I was surprised to see each student having their own personal computer.

Minami Yotsumoto: In Kusatsu, students have their own classroom to where they belong, and teachers make the students' schedules and students move about according to the schedule that was handed to them. In Pontiac, students have a small portion in determining their studies, and students are not assigned to a particular classroom.

Rafu Yamamoto: The large school area, the friendly character of the students, the strict lessons during class, being able to bring in your own violin to music class to play were some of the differences in school environments.

Utlizing your exchange program experiences, what are your goals for the future?

Moe Aratani: My foremost goal is to get accepted into high school. I would like to feel proud about the way I live and have my own opinions like the students at ITA. Sasa Takemura: I want to study more English and study abroad in the future and flourish internationally.

Sorano Nagai: To study more English to reach my dream to become an English teacher and study abroad.

Hikaru Sugito: I would like to communicate with many people in English using my communication skills. I would like to study abroad in Canada. In middle school and high school, I want to expand the differences in Amereican and Japanese cultures.

Hikari Yokoe: Despite the short duration of a week, I was able to become friends with many people, and visit facilities such as Oakland University and the Ford DECEMBER 2018

Museum and had a great experience. I had difficulty with my English communication skills, which frustrated me.

Keeping these thoughts in mind, I want to improve on my English. I want to go to many countries and volunteer. In the future, I want to work in a field contributing to world peace. I would like to expand the great experiences I had in Pontiac so that Kusatsu and Pontiac will keep a good relationship.

Minami Yotsumoto: My foremost goal is to be accepted into high school. In university, I want to study abroad. In the future, I would like to work in an international field.

Rafu Yamamoto: I realized that I could not communicate in English and would like to study more English and be able to freely communicate with foreigners.

T

im and I enjoyed hosting three students from Japan in my home in Pontiac. We enjoyed interacting with them, and showing them some of our educational and historical places including The Henry Ford, Oakland University and Meadowbrook Mansion. We also took them to some local restaurants to try American cuisine such as pizza, hamburgers and milkshakes! The girls really enjoyed going to Great Lakes Crossing for shopping as well as Legoland and The Sealife Aquarium. It was so wonderful meeting all the delegates and students from Kusatsu and enjoying the presentations and social events around town that week.

By: Stephanie Hubbs

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PA R E N T ’ S C O R N E R

What makes someone to make an Impact!?

I

Maggie Razdar Publisher/Founder

DECEMBER 2018

n the many years of leading and coaching, and now overseeing Kids Standard, I’ve been actively engaged in the community.

I want to be part of making our community a better place, and I believe that the world would be a better place because of it.

Every day, I look forward to empowering youth in their learning and writing. This purpose has given me many opportunities to connect with people who truly make a difference in their communities and the world.

Well-known experts, scientists, researchers, and innovators go beyond the limitations in their fields. They come up with something unique that changes the way we experience things. A talented surgeon can make a dramatic difference in his or her patients’ lives. A passionate journalist can tell powerful stories to inspire others. All these people have something in common: they have the drive to stretch themselves just a bit further to make an impact.

Some of these people may come from disadvantaged families, crushing circumstances, and limited capabilities. But they find the ways to pick themselves up. They rise above their circumstances to transform their own lives as well as the lives of others.

People who make a difference dedicate their time and lives to the purpose that drives them. They often see it as part of their calling. People who impact the world know that they are not perfect, but they

don’t allow this to stop them from trying.

They understand there is always a gap between knowing and doing, and most of the time, they don’t have all of the answers.

Those who make a difference are true leaders. They walk away from the selfserving success that might be hurtful and damaging to others. They use their power to influence rather than dominate, and they serve with compassion. They act from the heart.

Solving big problems isn’t easy, but it is doable. There are many incredible people who have the vision, drive, smarts, and strong heart to join in changing the world around them!

How can we inspire our children to want to make a difference?

Making a difference starts at home, when children see their parents giving a helping hand to others. Kids imitate their closest role models.

I enjoyed seeing the thoughtfulness of our elementary students during one of our collaboration sessions. Sometimes, working from the heart meant helping their families.

Sometimes, it was larger, bringing awareness to creating a better environment.

I’d like to leave you with this question: What can you do today to make someone else happier or to improve their life? It always feels good when we make others happy!

With all my heart, I am grateful for this community. I wish you and your family a very blessed holiday season!

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