Every August the Junior Global Training School hosts 100 elementary school students from the Republic of Korea, China, the United States, and Japan to participate in a three-day summer camp in Aomori City. The children sleep in a schoolhouse and spend their days together, enjoying the splendor of the famous Aomori Nebuta Festival and building friendships that go beyond borders. Children of various
nationalities are placed in groups of two or three in a buddy-system approach, and volunteers from high schools and universities serve as instructors and interpreters. This annual program enjoys broad community support, with participation from the children's parents, schools, local businesses, and governmental organizations. The participants remain involved with the program for years, many of them going on to serve as school volunteers after they reach high-school age. This international exchange program aiming at producing true junior global citizens provides a valuable model for cutural exchange in regional communities.
