Thanks to the work of Kizuna Across Cultures (KAC), a non-profit organization dedicated to pairing American and Japanese high schools, Elkhorn students have had the opportunity to connect with students at Isesaki High School, located in Gunma Prefecture. 

Activities included discussions on Canvas and an omiyage (gift) exchange, where students from Elkhorn sent cultural gifts to Isesaki (and vice versa). For Perera Nikhil, a student at Isesaki High School, the gift exchange was his favorite part. “It was exciting because we did not know what we were going to get,” he said. 

The cultural exchange ended in late January with students from both schools meeting on Zoom. Despite the time zone difference—5:00 p.m. in Nebraska vs 8:00 a.m. in Japan.—classes were able to see each other face to face for the first time and practice their language skills with people who know the language best. After the exchange, students wrote a final farewell post in which they shared their favorite memories of the cultural exchange. 

Language Fair: Every year, the Elkhorn district organizes a “language fair,” where students create both a class play and a smaller project on their own or in a small group. While the theme is nominally folk tales, this is often not followed. Students present their plays and projects in Japanese to their peers and Japanese judges. The winners usually go to UNO or UNL, where they compete with other schools outside of the district. 

The language fair gives students insight into Japanese culture and language in an interactive way, making it a valuable learning experience. Through it, students can get feedback on their language skills from Japanese people. By translating the plot of their favorite media into Japanese, or learning a story already in Japanese, they can improve their skills while doing something they enjoy.