St Columba’s staff and students immerse in Japanese culture

St Columba's students Ryan and Simone receiving awards for their outstanding essays

St Columba’s Catholic College Springwood enjoyed two Japanese events in March with students receiving awards from the Consulate-General of Japan and the school hosting Japanese delegates who were completing research to review the Japanese National School Curriculum.

In November last year, students at St Columba’s entered the first Australia-Japan Relations Essay Contest for NSW and NT secondary school students. The contest was conducted by the Consulate-General of Japan in Sydney with the co-operation of the Commonwealth Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs. The aim of the contest is to encourage and develop a better understanding of Australia-Japan relations among Australian secondary school students.

Two Year 9 students Simone Cooper and Ryan Nightingale submitted outstanding essays and were awarded prizes by the Consulate-General of Japan at his official residence on 11 March.

Simone said she had learnt a lot of about Japan and it was an honour to have won the prize.

‘Through participating in this project, I have gained invaluable insight into the ways in which Australia views Japan and how we can bring out many strengths together in order to benefit and enrich both nations immensely,’ Simone said. 

Simone won the Junior Division for the students in Years in 7 and 8 and Ryan’s essay was selected as ‘Highly Commended Essay’ by the judges.

On Thursday 12 March, three Japanese delegates Director National Institute for Educational Policy Research Akihide Osugi, Professor & President of Japanese Educational Research Association for the Social Studies Tomohito Harada, Associate Professor Gifu University Noboru Tanaka and Consul, Consulate-General of Japan, Sydney Tomoko Hashizume visited St Columba’s to complete research to review Japan’s National School Curriculum. 

The delegates met with Principal, Paul Ryan, Assistant Principal, Peta Sparkes, Head of Learning, Jaie Skinner, Leader of Learning HSIE, Leon Wright and Japanese teacher, Shizue Sato.

The Japanese delegates said the visit was an invaluable opportunity for them to visit the beautiful school in the Blue Mountains and learn about the new Australian National curriculum and the curriculum St Columba’s offers for its students.