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Registration page for International Essay Contest for Young People

Before you register, please read the contest guidelines carefully.

CONTEST GUIDELINES

Guidelines for the 2024 International Essay Contest for Young People will be announced on this website and through the Goi Peace Foundation’s mailing list and facebook page by mid-February 2024. Winners Announced! -->

When do I register?

• You can submit your essay whenever you are ready.
• Since entries tend to concentrate on the deadline date, we recommend you submit your essay earlier to avoid difficulties in accessing the registration page.

How do I submit my essay?

• Before you register, please read the contest guidelines and FAQs carefully.
• Create your essay file in either MS Word (DOC/DOCX) or PDF format. Your essay file size must be 2MB or less. Your essay must be typed, with your name, email address and essay title included at the top of the first page.
• Go to either “Individual” or “School/Organization” Entrant Registration page.
• After entering all required information, click “SUBMIT” button at the bottom of the page to create an account.
• When your account is successfully created, you will be automatically logged in to “My Account”.
• For “INDIVIDUAL”: In “My Account”, click “Register Essay” on the side menu, attach your essay by selecting the file on your computer, and click “SUBMIT”. Only one entry per person is accepted . Once your entry is successfully submitted, you can download your certificate from the “Download Certificate”.
• For “SCHOOL/ORGANIZATION”: In “My Account”, click “Add/Delete Student” on the side menu, register one student per row, attach each essay by selecting the file on your computer, and click “SUBMIT.” Only one entry per person is accepted . Once your entry is successfully submitted, you can download your students’ certificates from the “Student List” and your certificate from the “Teacher‘s Certificate of Participation” on the side menu.
• If you leave “My Account” page, you can log in again with your email address and password from “Entrant login” on the top menu.
• Please note that you can only create one account with one email address.

I am submitting my own essay. <CREATE YOUR ACCOUNT>

SCHOOL/ORGANIZATION

The goi peace foundation international essay contest for young people.

ICU Global Youth Essay Competition 2022 Results

Update: December 13, 2022

International Christian University (ICU) and Japan ICU Foundation are pleased to announce the winners of the ICU Global Youth Essay Competition 2022.

This competition invited youths from around the world to share their views on how to make society better.

We would like to extend our gratitude for all of those who applied. In total, we had 388 eligible applications from 69 countries and regions.

Top Prize: Laura Zawora Mirella (from Mikołaj Kopernik Secondary School No. I in Katowice in Poland)

Essay title: "What About Us"

"Man is inherently good, while evil comes from ignorance". Erasmus's words perfectly illustrate the sources of many conflicts or misconceptions about them existing in the world through the abovementioned ignorance. Only by learning the true history of the world, constantly updating it so that we know the genesis of conflicts and their prevention, can we build peace consciously.

Peacebuilding to me means learning the truth about the other person. We won't get to the root of a problem by hearing about it third-hand, after correction, or by only hearing the positives or the negatives.

It requires lots of patience and willingness to listen to each other, but the result will carry benefits, not only for ourselves but also for future generations. I believe that the ideal solution would be to create a 'Peace History Museum'. It would offer the possibility of creating a room for any willing country to present the stories of the conflicts concerned, their effects on that country, what lessons can be learnt from them and how, on that occasion, the country has contributed to peacebuilding - repairing damage and helping others. Such information would come from a designated group of representatives, including participants of the event in question, regardless of age, (if the event took place a long time ago - the participants are dead, the information would be compiled from relatives and personal documents - e.g. diaries) from the country in question under the supervision of a specialist to prevent the falsification of history.

The museum would host meetings between young people and representatives of organisations whose idea is to "save from oblivion". The museum itself would also organise a competition every year, which would consist of one text being chosen from each country about that year's problem in the country and how it was dealt with - how it led to peacebuilding. For this, young people would have to research the causes of that situation - broadening their awareness of it. Let us focus on the future, not forgetting the past, but learning from it.

Turning to my own experience of spreading peace. I have certainly been influenced by the current situation in Ukraine and the reception of refugees in Poland. In my high school, there were also Ukrainian youth, whom if we wanted to help, we first had to understand (figuratively and literally). We organised Ukrainian-Polish glossaries, collections of clothes, food, and medicines. Next are the visits to the memorials. No book or film compares to physically being at the scene of a crime and hearing about it from its victims. A visit to Auschwitz is a clear example. As long as one does not see with one's own eyes the piles of clothes, shoes, hair, or the conditions in which the prisoners lived there, one cannot grasp the importance of peacebuilding - to ensure that people will never again suffer such a fate.

Another example - visiting Taizé, an ecumenical village where different faiths come together for the proverbial conversation. This place shows how faith and the human desire to act can be a common bond. The activities on site are designed to facilitate this. To quote Brother Roger: "If some are gripped by worry about the future and find themselves at a standstill, there are also young people all over the world who are inventive and creative. They know God did not create us to be passive. For them, life is not subject to a blind destiny. They are aware that scepticism and discouragement have the power to paralyse human beings".

To conclude my speech, I will once again quote Brother Roger, who explicitly says to strive to build a better future, despite the hardships: "Gather everything that happens, trivialities included, without reservation, regret or nostalgia, in inexhaustible wonder. Set out, going forward one step at a time, from doubt towards faith, not worrying about the impossible ahead. Light fire, even with the thorns that tear you".

Second Prize: Tanisha Thaosen (from Beacon Academy Jakarta in Indonesia)

Essay title: "How Climate Changed Me"

"We are living on this planet as if we had another one to go to" ~ Terri Swearingen It was just another day of being a fourth grader on February 25th, 2017. There had been a heavy downpour since early morning but I didn't think much of it sitting in my cozy classroom until it was time to go home. At that point, I didn't know the journey of a mere 3 km would be the turning point of my life.

The entire area was submerged and it looked like a scene straight out of the movie "Water world". I felt over-awed by the power of the water that made us trapped in our car for close to 6 hours. We had no choice but to ditch the car. Initially, it seemed fun to wade through knee-deep water but soon the water level rose swiftly to my chest. I looked around at poles, pillars, and trees inundated with water, vehicles half-submerged, and rescue boats evacuating stranded citizens on what was once a road. It seemed like an eternity before I reached home cold, tired, and reeling in shock. That fateful day made me realize that climate change is real and happening.

Residing on the beautiful Java island in Indonesia surrounded by natural wonders and rich culture, one cannot ignore the fact that Jakarta is rapidly developing as the fastest-sinking city in the world. One of the primary causes for this is uncontrolled groundwater extraction and rapid urbanization. The Government should move the focus from urban development projects to allocating more funds towards expanding the development of coastal sea walls and upgrading drainage systems. Sustainable water management should be followed by communities by harvesting rainwater to supply sanitary requirements as well as drinking water. A tunnel system should be created to capture floodwaters and transport them into a water tank that can be used to recharge groundwater and used for agricultural purposes. Floating cities can be a long-term solution for changing water levels.

A solution I think is most integral is by promoting awareness, starting at the elementary level. I believe that it is absolutely essential for schools to implement environmental education as a mandatory subject in their curriculum with an emphasis on the UN SDG's. The earlier children are educated on the potential threats to the environment, the faster they develop their attitude and skills to care for the environment. This will engage children in their surroundings and understand how their actions impact the environment. Furthermore, there can be challenges where students 'explore the extreme' to come up with innovative and creative solutions to environmental issues applicable in real life. Students can conduct a year-long research project called the 'Community Action Service' where they can work in teams to serve the community in an environmental aspect.

Being a Gen Z kid, I am very much concerned about Planet Earth and its well-being. In elementary school, I designed an eco-friendly air cooler made of plastic bottles that were aimed to assist the rural population that did not have access to electricity. Furthermore, as part of my individual research project in middle school, I created a hydroponics system at home by growing vegetables sustainably. I also developed 3 prize-winning apps on climate change that addressed SDG Goals 11, 13, and 14. Currently, I am a participant in the New York Academy of Sciences STEM challenge where I and my team are creating a prototype vessel that mitigates and tracks oil spills.

In these small but significant ways, I am doing my part to combat climate change and so can you! There are countless ways to mitigate climate change but the first is to alter our mindset that climate change is happening. Every action, no matter how small, makes a difference. Don't wait for change, Be the change.

Third Prizes:

Increasing from the initial 10 winners, 11 were named for the Third Prize given the creative list of essays. The writers below will receive 5,000JPY gift card and a book related to the World Declaration of Human Rights translated by ICU students. Sherin Chong (from Bandung Alliance Intercultural School in Indonesia) Peacebuilding "Slowing Down" Phonprajan Thompson Valerie (from Burirampittayakhom School in Thailand) Environmental Studies "A Story for a Rainy Day" Muhammad Danial (from Sekolah Menengah Kebagsaan Jeram in Malaysia) Environmental Studies "The Unsolved Dilemma" Wai Chin Annika Suen (from St. Paul's Convent School in Hong Kong) Environmental Studies "Start Minimising Packaging Waste Today!" Chae Won Lee (from Raffles Christian School Pondok Indah in Indonesia) Peacebuilding "Breaking Out of Our Shells" Mei Kambara Leilani (from Kalani High School in the U.S.) Environmental Studies "My Duty To Protect My Hometown" Saya Lindholm (from Woodinville High School in the U.S.) Peacebuilding "An Anchor of Peace: How Local Efforts Create Community" Tahsin Hossain (from BISESJ: Bangladesh International School, (English Section), Jeddah in Saudi Arabia) Environmental Studies "Empty Plates." Carlos Manuel Eusoya Caoyonan (from Philippine Science High School - Western Visayas Campus in the Philippines) Peacebuilding "A Drop of Water" Yoyo Ngai (from St Paul's Convent School in Hong Kong) Environmental Studies "City of Lights" Salsa Suherdi Nur Safina Annajah (from SMK Negeri 2 Sukabumi in Indonesia) Environmental Studies "Grey to Blue"

Special Prize for non-native English writer:

Catarina Carrareto de Oliveira (from Santa Maria Minas Unidade Pampulha in Brazil) Environmental Studies "The word that turns into action" The writer will receive 5,000JPY and a book related to the World Declaration of Human Rights translated by ICU students

International Christian University (ICU) and Japan ICU Foundation invite youths from around the world to share their views on how to make society better. Each year, essay topics are selected in the areas of human rights and current events. For 2022, the application is open from August 16 to October 11. Apply to win great prizes, including the top prize of two round-trip tickets to Japan!

Competition flyer (for printing)

Prizes Top Prize ( 1 winner ): Two round-trip airline tickets to Tokyo in the summer of 2023 for the winner and a guarantor. A visit to ICU will be incorporated into the trip. In lieu of the airline tickets, the top prize winner has the option of receiving 100,000 yen.

Second Prize ( 1 winner ): 50,000 yen gift card.

Third Prize ( 10 winners ): 5,000 yen gift card.

Special Prize (1 winner) : 5,000 yen gift card for those who have not been educated in English for more than 1 year.

Way of Application:

All essays must be submitted online through Submittable platform.

The application form will open from August 16 until October 11, 2022.

Please visit our website to submit during this time.

Click the following to sign up, read the instructions, and apply!

2022 Essay questions

Essays must focus on one of this year's topics. Select one of the following questions from the areas of human rights and current events.

• Environmental Studies is one of the majors offered at ICU. In this major, students critically think and learn about issues such as food safety and water quality, consumption and development, ethics and education, etc. from a range of perspectives. What environmental issue(s) do you care about? What are unique and creative solutions to address them?
• Born of deep remorse over World War II, ICU was founded with the aim of nurturing global citizens who serve to create peace in the world. What does peacebuilding mean to you? How can young people work towards peace in our fractured world? What experiences related to peace and peacebuilding have had an impact on you?

There are no right answers to these questions; we are not looking for essays that propose the "correct" solutions that already exist. We want to learn about YOUR original ideas. As you write, start by reflecting on your own experience, think about what the problem is, and then write your own opinion.

Language: Essays must be written in English.

Word Limit: No more than 650 words, excluding essay title and bibliography

Essay Title: Essays must have a title. Please create a title that best describes the essence of your essay. The title does not count towards the word limit.

Eligibility:

Applicants must be aged 14-18 as of October 11, 2022 and must currently reside outside of Japan. University/college students as of October 11, 2022 are ineligible to apply.

How are essays evaluated?

A group of judges from ICU and the Japan ICU Foundation will evaluate all essays using the the following factors:

• Supporting arguments
• Creativity/Originality
• Execution of writing (Audience/Coherence/Clarity/Grammar/Style)

All essays will be checked for plagiarism.

An essay will be disqualified if:

• It does not address the topic.
• It does not include a title.
• An applicant covers more than one topic.
• It is not the applicant's original work.

Please Note The winners' full name, essay, title, and location will be shared on the Global Youth Essay Competition website. Other information may be displayed upon receiving consent from winners and their guarantors.

Past Winners Visit the website below to read the winners' essays.

Result of 2021

About the Organizers

The Japan ICU Foundation is an independent educational foundation based in New York City. Its mission is to work with International Christian University to nurture global citizens who contribute to the well-being of humanity. Visit Website. JICUF Website

About the Sponsor

Lighthouse is a Japanese publishing company located in the United States. Lighthouse also organizes college fairs and operates a website to help students all over the world learn about the benefits of studying in Japan.Visit the website. Lighthouse Website

ICU Public Relations Office TEL: +81-422-33-3058 EMAIL: [email protected]

How do I submit my essay?

An essay should be submitted during August 16 - October 11. Please prepare by writing in another document. Please visit our site again to see the application form link during this period.

An essay should be submitted online from this link: https://japanicuf.submittable.com/submit/08968d21-56bf-4740-a859-2bacf93266d9/2022-icu-global-youth-essay-competition or from the "Apply Here" button on this website. After you sign up for Submittable, the application page will appear. In a designated text box, you can type in your essay directly, or write in another document and paste it.

I am 18 years old now. Am I eligible to apply?

If you are 18 years old on October 11, 2022, the deadline of application, you are eligible to apply. Please also note that if you will be attending college/university/higher education by October 11, you are not eligible to apply.

Should I cite my sources?

Although this essay competition is not aimed to look at your research skills, you must cite the source of any quotations, ideas, thoughts, or words in your essay that are not your own. This can be done by including in-text citations (which count toward the 650-word limit). Additionally, you may include full citations (which DO NOT count toward the word limit) in the Bibliography text box. MLA and APA styles are recommended. Failure to identify non-original material will result in disqualification. If you submitted an essay without a bibliography option, please contact us. We will allow you edit and resubmit their essay.

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About the JFTC Essay Competition

JFTC has been sponsoring the JFTC Essay Competition since 2005, to encourage students, young researchers and business people to express their opinions on matters of national and international importance.

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An index of past essay topics, winners and prize-winning essays.

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2024 International Essay Contest for Young People by Goi Peace Foundation, Japan [Anyone Upto 25 Years; Cash Prizes Worth Rs. 1.36L and Gifts]: Submit by June 15

• Priyanka Barik
• Feb 28, 2024

Submissions are invited for 2024 International Essay Contest for Young People by Goi Peace Foundation, Japan. The last date of submission is June 15, 2024.

About the Foundation

Based in Japan, the Goi Peace Foundation is a public benefit organization supported by members around the world working together to create a culture of peace. Our mission is to foster a sustainable and harmonious global society by promoting consciousness, values and wisdom for creating peace, and building cooperation among individuals and organizations across diverse fields, including education, science, culture and the arts.

Contest Details

This annual essay contest is organized in an effort to harness the energy, creativity and initiative of the world’s youth in promoting a culture of peace and sustainable development. It also aims to inspire society to learn from the young minds and to think about how each of us can make a difference in the world.

This program is an activity within the framework of UNESCO’s Education for Sustainable Development: Towards achieving the SDGs (ESD for 2030).

My Experience of Overcoming Conflict: Conflicts occur for a variety of reasons, including differences in opinions and values. Have you ever had an experience of overcoming a conflict that you were involved in? What did you learn from that experience? How do you want to make use of what you learned, for your own life and for society?

Eligibility

Essays may be submitted by anyone up to 25 years old (as of June 15, 2024) in one of the following age categories: a) Children (ages up to 14) b) Youth (ages 15 – 25).

• Essays must be 700 words or less in English or French, or 1600 characters or less in Japanese. Essays must be typed, with your name, email address and essay title included at the top of the first page.
• There are no particular rules regarding formatting (font style, size, line space, etc.). However, essays must be submitted in either MS Word (DOC/DOCX) or PDF format.
• Essays must be original and unpublished.
• Entries that include plagiarized content or content created by generative AI (such as ChatGPT) will be rejected.
• Essays must be written by one person. Co-authored essays are not accepted.

The following awards will be given in the Children’s category and Youth category respectively:

• 1st Prize: Certificate, prize of 100,000 Yen (approx. US$660 as of Feb. 2024) and gift … 1 entrant
• 2nd Prize: Certificate, prize of 50,000 Yen (approx. US$330 as of Feb. 2024) and gift … 3 entrants
• 3rd Prize: Certificate and gift … 5 entrants
• Honorable Mention: Certificate and gift … 25 entrants

How to Submit?

Interested participants can submit online via this link .

Registration Deadline

The last date of registration is June 15, 2024.

Are there any exceptions to the age limit for participating in the contest?

No, you must be 25 years old or younger as of June 15, 2024, which is the entry deadline date. That means you must be born after June 15, 1998. On the other hand, there is no minimum age requirement.

Is there a fee for participating in this contest?

No, participation is free of charge.

Do I have to be Japanese or Asian to join the contest?

No, all nationalities can participate from anywhere in the world.

My essay is a little over 700 words. Is it acceptable?

No, essay must be 700 words or less in order to qualify. However, your name and essay title are excluded from the word count.

Email: info[at]goipeace[dot]or[dot]jp

Click here to view the official notification of 2024 International Essay Contest for Young People by Goi Peace Foundation, Japan.

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My Jimoto – My Town Essay Contest

Link Japan Careers has turned 5 years old!

Each of them has joined countless others in making their own Japan stories and we would love to hear some of them.

This is your invitation to write an essay sharing positive experiences from your time in Japan that you would be excited for other people to know more about. Topics to write about may include an eye-opening cultural experience, things that you love about your town, episodes of personal interaction that bridged a cultural gap, and so on.

“Write a 1000 word essay about your Jimoto:

‘hometown’ in japan”.

To enter simply: 

• Confirm your eligibility and the terms and conditions here .
• Register your preferred name and email .
• Submit your essay between 500 ~1000 words about your “Jimoto”  hometown in Japan and why it has been special to you. Please submit you entry as a PDF written in English  and include your name and email in the header of each page. 
• The contest will run from December 6, 2021 to December 27, 2021
• Winners will be announced on January 6, 2022

Prizes (Amazon Gift Card):

• Grand Prize : 60,000 yen
• Second Place: 50,000 yen
• Third Place: 40,000 yen
• Judges Award: 30,000 yen

Sign up to get the latest updates from Link Japan Careers directly to your inbox

Please click here to read an important announcement from Link Japan Careers.

Interac is the number one private provider of ALTs (Assistant Language Teachers) to Japanese private schools.  In this video, Chase, one of the Managing Consultants for the Tokyo Branch, gives his story about living in Japan and working with Interac . 

In this video , Chase mentions the level of support that Interac teachers can expect.  We believe that this is one of the major differences between Interac and other ALT providers & programs.  Some of the things that you can count on with Interac that you won’t find elsewhere are their extensive pre-arrival and post-arrival initial training, support with housing set-up, getting started with a bank account, Internet, mobile phones, and getting to know your schools prior to beginning to teach.  Once you begin teaching, you’ll have access to extensive teaching materials, continuing training, and periodic evaluation.  Interac also has skills development resources to help you make the most of your time with the company and help your future career, whether it is in teacher or another field.

For more information about Interac, click here  or visit Interac’s site at www.interacnetwork.com .  To make an application, go to our jobs page here .

Free Standard Shipping & Handling on Camera & Lens Products

Offer valid April 1, 2024 at 12:00 AM EST through April 30, 2024 at 11:59 PM EST. Offer valid only on consumer camera and lens products available for sale through the Canon online store only. Offer not valid on bulk orders. Orders will be shipped to a street address in the 50 United States or the District of Columbia only. Free standard shipping and handling offer is a $5.99 to $15.99 Canon online store value. Offer subject to the Canon Terms of Sale . Dealers, distributors and other resellers are not eligible for this offer. Offer void where prohibited, taxed, or restricted.

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Essay competition, the competition's focus is to promote awareness and understanding of japan and to help young americans broaden their international horizons., essay competition mission.

The competition’s open to all students attending high school or college in the New York Metropolitan area. Winners receive cash prizes and Canon products during an awards ceremony held each spring at the Charles B. Wang Center on the Stony Brook University campus.

Learn more about the Japan Center at Stony Brook

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Replaying Japan

Website of the Replaying Japan Conference and the Journal of Replaying Japan

Essay Contest

Prince takamado japan centre for teaching and research – essay contest result –.

The Prince Takamado Japan Centre awarded two essay prizes (2000 words) to the best student presentations on Japanese games. These have a value of $500 CAD each.

The prizes have been awarded to:

• Ms. Homeira Baghbanmoshiri (PhD student, Kobe University, Japan) Title: “Analyzing the “cultural identity” of the game: through the comparison between The Witcher and Final Fantasy game series”;
• Mr. Nökkvi Jarl Bjarnason (PhD student, University of Iceland, Iceland) Title: “Japan and the Rise of National Game Studies”

The conference committee congratulates Ms. Homeira Baghbanmoshiri and Mr. Nökkvi Jarl Bjarnason for their outstanding presentations.

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日本に学ぶマシュー・サヴァス ’08 （ベイツ大学四年生2008）

去年留学生として京都へ行く前、私が初めてのものを食べてみる機会は少なかった。私の食事はパスタやチーズなど母が作ってくれる西洋料理に制限されていたからである。しかしホストファミリーと住んでいる間に, 私の食べ物は変わり、その楽しみ方も分かってきた。 最初はみそ汁を飲むのも難題だった。また、初めて朝ご飯に魚が出た時には泣きそうになり、私のシリアルはどこかということしか考えられなかった。それに箸の使い方が下手だったから、骨が取れなく、飲み込んでしまったことがよくあった。そして毎晩のようにお母さんが作ったタコとキュウリのサラダはすっぱくてたまらなかったので、縮み上がり、食べる度に目を閉じた。その頃は和食が本当に嫌いだった。 しかし私は、異文化を尊敬するものと思っていたので、ホストのお母さんが作ってくれる料理も買ってくれる物も食べてみる義務があると感じ、頑張って食べた。毎日食べるにつれて、徐々に和食に慣れるようになり、いつの間にか私の周りの料理を何でも食べてみたいと思うようになった。 そしてある日、広島で、色々見知らぬものにまみれていたお好み焼きを食べた。大阪では次の一口を食べるのが怖いほど辛い韓国料理を食べた。ある夜、京都の街を歩きながら露店で買ったタコ焼きも食べた。そしてある時、まだ生きているウナギが切り開かれているのを見て「おいしそう！」という思いがけない感情が出てきた。さすがの私も日本人のようになってきたのだ。 冬休みにタイへ行った時、一番訪ねたい所はバンコクの公設市場で、そこでこれまでの生涯で一番美味しいカレーを食べた。ベトナム旅行では、見つけられるあるゆる種類のフォを喜んで食べた。 日本に住んで和食を食べなかったら、この大変美味な経験はできなかったはずだ。それに、このおかげで私の食生活はよい方に変わった。今、日本食を作るのも大好きだ。だから、私は日本に深く感謝している。

アリシア・デッセン ’07 （ベイツ大学四年生2007）　二年生の時、私はベイツ大学の日本に行くプログラムの広告に気が付きました。その時まで、日本に行く気はなかったのですが、少し興味を持ちました。だから、その説明会に出た後、行こうと思うようになりました。そして秋、金沢に行きました。そこに住んでいる間に、日本が大好きになり、今 私にとっては特別な所です。 　一般に外国人は「日本は面白い歴史があるし、きれいな庭や楽しい町があっていい観光ができるし、おいしい料理が食べられるし、すごい国だ」と言います。私もそのために日本が好きですが、他の絶対的理由もあります。それは日本人の性格です。日本に行った時、日本人はとても優しかったです。私が助けてほしかった時、いつでも親切に助けてくれました。 　例えば，私は三か月加畑さんというホストファミリーと住んでいましたが、すごく私を歓迎し、世話をし、町を案内してくれました。私はとても嬉しかったです。加畑さんは娘のように面倒を見てくれました。兄弟もとても優しかったです。毎晩食事をしながら、お互いに日米の文化や習慣について面白い話をし、習いました。たくさんいい経験をしました。素敵な日本人に会えたので、ホストファミリーに滞在して本当によかったです。今でもよく電子メールや手紙や年賀状をお互いに送ります。私はすぐにでも金沢に戻りたいと思っています。 　優しい日本人は加畑家だけではなく,　先生や他の知らない人もとても優しかったです。例えば観光している時道に迷ったら、日本人はいつも助けくれました。実はある日、男の人が道を教えられなくて、私を車で連れて行ってくれました。もちろん、その人はそうしなくてもよかったのですが、これは日本人らしい例です。 　だから、私の日本は日本の人々です。私はヨーロッパや南アフリカに行ったことがありますが、世界中にそんな親切な人たちは見つけられません。とても特別です。私は日本人を思い出す時、感動します。

ジョー・ドルーリー ’09（ベイツ大学二年生2007） 　 　子供の時、私はカリフォルニアに住んでいて、すしが好きな母が私を毎週すしのレストランに連れて行ってくれました。レストランの名前は「ハピー・すし」と言って、食べ物が私を 幸せにしてくれました。私はハピー・すしで、まきものを食べたり、さしみを食べたり、えだまめを食べたりしました。すしの板前は何でも食べたアメリカ人の 子供にびっくりしました。 　すしのおかげで、私は日本の文化にきょうみを持ちました。いつもおもしろい すしがあるし、いろいろちがうし、かんたんでややこしいし、すしが私の日本でした。カリフォルニアで三年間、いっぱいすしを食べた後、私の家族はモンタナにひっこしました。私の町にはすしのレストランがなかったので、私はとてもかなしかったです。それで、ちょっと日本の文化がなくなりました。すし屋がないから、日本の文学にきょうみを持つようになりました。特に俳句と小説が好きになりました。高校生の時、えんどうしゅうさくを読みました。えんどうの本、「ちんもく」は鎖国時代を説明しています。 　でも高校生の時、私の町ですしのレストランが開きました。多くのモンタナの人はすしを食べないから、みんなは私がどうしてすしが食べられるか知っていました。私は色々な文化を習うのが好きです。食べ物はたくさんの文化を象徴していると思います。食べ物は歴史、宗教、文化の伝統を象徴していると思います。 　来年、私は日本に行くつもりです。でも、アルバイトができなくて、お金をたくさんためていないので、すしが買えないかもしれません。その時は、すしの作り方を習います！

One of the most important missions of the Consulate General of Japan in Boston is to promote mutual understanding between Japan and the United States. To pursue this mission and encourage the study of Japanese language as well as culture, our office will hold an essay contest entitled “Watashi no Nihon”.

This contest is open to all undergraduate college students studying Japanese in New England. We would like to ask you to encourage your students to enter and share their vision and impressions of Japan, “Watashi no Nihon”.

Both the guidelines and entry form for the contest are attached. Please remember, only two entrants per university/college will be allowed.

We look forward to reading your students ideas about Japan.

For any inquiries regarding this event please contact Joshua Wilber at [email protected] and place Essay Contest in the subject line.

Most Sincerely,

Yuzo Sekigawa

Consul for Information and Cultural Affairs Consulate General of Japan in Boston

=============== 2007 Consulate General of Japan in Boston Essay Contest

“Watashi no Nihon”

1. This contest is open to undergraduate students enrolled in a university/college within the six New England states with a Japanese language course.

2. The closing date for entries is Wednesday, February 28, 2007. Essays must arrive by this date at the Consulate General of Japan in Boston.

3. When submitting your essay please ensure you include a fully completed Entry Form, which includes exact character count. The Entry Form should be filled-in by the author of the essay, and then checked and signed by the author’s instructor.

4. There will be two categories/levels. First Level: 3 or less years of study. Second Level: 4 + years of study. (Two years of high school Japanese is counted as one year of university level.)

5. Each university/college will be allowed two entries (one from each level or both from the same level).

6. The length of the essay should be no more than 800 characters (2 sheets of Genkou Youshi — Ofuji can give this to you).

7. The essay’s theme is “Watashi no Nihon”.

8. The essay can be either typed or hand written.

9. Essays must be written in Japanese.

10. Essays must conform to the character limit as specified above to be eligible for a prize.

11. Essays will not be returned.

12. Essays should be sent to the Consulate General of Japan in Boston.

13. The official results will be announced on the Consulate General of Japan in Boston’s website (www.boston.us.emb-japan.go.jp) between March 15th and 20th 2007.

14. The 2 first prize winners will each receive a plaque, books and other prizes and have their winning essays published. Second and third prize winners will receive a certificate of merit, books and other prizes. The award ceremony will be held on Friday March 30, 2007 at the Consul General’s official residence. (Directions will be sent to awardees.)

15. Copyright of the essays will be retained by the Consulate General of Japan in Boston.

Watashi no Nihon

Name: _______________________________________________

Address: _______________________________________________

Phone: _______________________________________________

Email: _______________________________________________

School: _______________________________________________

Level: 3 years or less 4+ years (please circle)

Character Count: __________________________________________

__________________________________________________________ Signature Date

_________________________________________________________ Instructor’s Signature: Date

Essays to be received by Wednesday, 2/28/2007.

Mail to: Consulate General of Japan in Boston Attention: Essay Contest 600 Atlantic Avenue, 14th Floor Boston, MA 02210

Phone (617) 973-9772

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Stanford University

Stanford, California

United States

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Regis University

Denver, Colorado

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University of Illinois

Chicago, Illinois

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St. John’s College

Annapolis, Maryland

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Graduate student

Universidad Nacional de Colombia

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University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, Indiana

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Enter the Regions Riding Forward Scholarship Contest by completing a Quarterly Contest application.  The second Quarterly Contest runs from April 1, 2024 through June 30, 2024. Complete and save all requested information. 

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2023 Winners

High school:.

• Amyrrean Acoff
• Leon Aldridge
• Kharis Andrews
• Colton Collier
• Indya Griffin
• Christopher Hak
• Aquil Hayes
• Jayden Haynes
• McKenna Jodoin
• Paris Kelly
• Liza Latimer
• Dylan Lodle
• Anna Mammarelli
• Karrington Manley
• Marcellus Odum
• Gautami Palthepu
• Melody Small
• Lauryn Tanner
• Joshua Wilson
• Mohamed Ali
• Kayla Bellamy
• Lauren Boxx
• Alexandria Brown
• Samuel Brown
• Thurston Brown
• Conner Daehler
• Tsehai de Souza
• Anjel Echols
• Samarion Flowers
• Trinity Griffin
• Kristina Hilton
• Ryan Jensen
• Miracle Jones
• Shaniece McGhee
• Chelby Melvin
• Lamiya Ousley
• Kiera Phillips
• Gabrielle Pippins
• Ethan Snead
• Sydney Springs
• Kirsten Tilford
• Tamira Weeks
• Justin Williams

2022 Winners

• Paul Aucremann
• William Booker
• Robyn Cunningham
• Kani'ya Davis
• Oluwatomi Dugbo
• Lillian Goins
• Parker Hall
• Collin Hatfield
• Gabrielle Izu
• Kylie Lauderdale
• Jacob Milan
• Jackson Mitchell
• Carmen Moore
• Madison Morgan
• Kaden Oquelí-White
• Kaylin Parks
• Brian Perryman
• De'Marco Riggins
• Brianna Roundtree
• Sydney Russell
• Carlie Spore
• Morgan Standifer
• Ionia Thomas
• Ramaya Thomas
• Jaylen Toran
• Amani Veals
• Taylor Williams
• Alana Wilson
• Taryn Wilson
• Aryaunna Armstrong
• Hannah Blackwell
• T'Aneka Bowers
• Naomi Bradley
• Arianna Cannon
• Taylor Cline
• Catherine Cummings
• Margaret Fitzgerald
• Chloe Franklin
• Camryn Gaines
• Thomas Greer
• Kayla Helleson
• Veronica Holmes
• Logan Kurtz
• Samuel Lambert
• Jaylon Muchison
• Teresa Odom
• Andrew Payne
• Carey Price
• Emily SantiAnna
• Curtis Smith
• Jered Smith
• Mariah Standifer
• Maura Taylor
• Anna Wilkes

SBU Sophomore Wins Japan Center’s 18th Annual Essay Competition

On Saturday April 29, the Japan Center of Stony Brook University (JCSB) held an awards ceremony for its 18th annual Essay Competition, sponsored by Canon U.S.A. The opening remarks by JCSB President Iwao Ojima were followed by warm greetings from two distinguished guests: Junichi Furuyama, senior vice president/general manager and chief financial officer, Finance and Accounting, Canon U.S.A., and Consul Satoshi Nagano from the Consulate General of Japan in New York.

One of the students from Stony Brook University, Kaytie Tanoue, won the Uchida Memorial Award in this competition. She was presented with an award certificate, a $750 award check and Canon products.

Tanoue’s award-winning essay, “Memoirs of a Bento Box,” reflects on her core childhood memory: the shame for the delicious, healthy and artistic Japanese bento boxed lunches that were painstakingly packed by her mother. Although she loved her bento, her American classmates asked her many questions, such as, “Ew, why are you eating that?” and “Why does it look like that?” This experience made her decline her mother’s bento in favor of cafeteria food. However, her perspective changed years later when she entered a STEM-magnet high school that celebrated diversity and inclusion. She asked her mother to start packing bento again, and when she received the “what” and “why” questions from her classmates, she proudly shared some with them. Tanoue’s view on bento radically changed, and she realized how lucky she was.

Tanoue’s experience with bento successfully and symbolically represents emotional struggles that Asian Americans face as they grow up. Chief Judge Murata stated, “It is important to keep to the authentic ways of one’s own ancestral culture, not least because it allows us to understand the diversity of human ways. Part of this is mastering your own mother tongue, which allows you to have real pride in your heritage.”

Tanoue is majoring in information systems and is a member of the WISE Honors Program. She is also a member of Taiko Tides, a taiko drumming group at Stony Brook University, and enjoys performing with her teammates. She aspires to work abroad with a career in game design and software development.

The aim of the JCSB Essay Competition is to provide young Americans with an opportunity to think creatively and critically about their lives by relating them to some aspect of Japan to help them broaden their horizons and develop global citizenship. This competition is supported by Canon U.S.A., whose corporate philosophy is Kyosei , which means “all people, regardless of race, religion or culture, harmoniously living and working together into the future.’’

For more information, visit the Japan Center at Stony Brook website .

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I am sure her essay is wonderful. It is great when people can share (?), or it is better to say, demonstrate their cultural, authentic things to others. And in this way to promote and preserve their culture, their traditions, their values. I am going to write an essay for the Studybay essay contest on “How Media Affects Culture”. That is why now I pay close attention to the things like bento that can be demonstrated with media. The small cultural things that will have a huge impact.

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• SoMAS Honors the Passing of Research Professor and Alumnus Frank Roethel April 1, 2024
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Pleasantview DAR announces essay winners

River City Middle School's Faith Harmon is the eighth grade winner of the Pleasantview Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution's American History Essay Contest. From left: Andy Preiss, Mark Harmon, Faith Harmon, Staci Harmon, Nancy Hicks and Janey Ortega. Courtesy photo

Hailey Jenny-Jeanne Farr of River City Middle School is the seventh grade winner of the Pleasantview Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution's American History Essay Contest. From left: Andy Preiss, Trina Caudle, Hailey Jenny-Jeanne Farr and Deb Tierney.

Milli’on Horfelt of Post Falls Middle School is the sixth grade winner of the Pleasantview Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution's American History Essay Contest. From left: Sally Holtz, Milli’on Horfelt, Vicki Horfelt and Mark Mason.

The Pleasantview Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution has announced the winners of the American History essay contest for 2024.

The Pleasantview American History essay contest was open to students in sixth through eighth grades in all accredited schools in the Post Falls area.

The topic of the American History contest this year was:

"On May 14, 1897, John Phillip Sousa played his new march, “The Stars and Stripes Forever.” This song would become the national march of the United States on Dec. 11, 1987. Imagine it is 1897 and you are a newspaper reporter for “The Philadelphia Times.” Your newspaper editor has asked you to write an article about the song being performed that day. Your article needs to tell us about Sousa’s life and the story behind the song. It is the first performance of the song, so make sure your article includes your thoughts about the music and how the audience reacts to what is seen and heard that day."

The entries were judged by grade level. The winners of the contest are:

• Sixth grade — Milli’on Horfelt, Post Falls Middle School

• Seventh grade — Hailey Jenny-Jeanne Farr, River City Middle School

• Eighth grade — Faith Harmon, River City Middle School

Winners earned certificates, bronze medals and monetary awards. Pleasantview Chapter winners will be submitted to the Idaho State Society for consideration in the state and national contests.

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Each evening in her tent, researcher Jane Goodall would write up data from her field notebooks, recounting the chimpanzee behavior she observed that day. Immerse yourself in a replica of Jane’s research camp at “Becoming Jane: The Evolution of Dr. Jane Goodall,” an exhibition organized by National Geographic and the Jane Goodall Institute. The exhibition is open at the Natural History Museum of Utah in Salt Lake City, UT from December 7, 2023 through May 27, 2024. Photo by Hugo Van Lawick, Jane Goodall Institute

Inspired by Jane: A Winning Essay

By mark johnston.

In celebration of Dr. Jane Goodall's 90th birthday on April 3, and in conjunction with our current special exhibition, Becoming Jane: The Evolution of Dr. Jane Goodall , NHMU hosted an essay contest to inspire a new generation of visionaries among Utah's 6th, 7th, and 8th graders. Titled Inspired by Jane , the contest invited contestants to share the positive impact they hope to make in the world by the time they turn 90 years old. 

With the contest running only a couple of weeks, 293 submissions were received from students all around Utah offering a colorful variety of visions of change. From space farming to saving the dwindling Great Salt Lake, the essays delivered assurances of hope from hundreds of young voices inspired by icons like Jane Goodall. Selecting a winner was no easy task, but eventually a consensus was reached among judges and on March 18 a winner was notified. 

Lily Peterson, a 7th grader from Mountain Heights Academy, submitted a moving essay that was awarded the top prize for thoughtfully addressing a local ecological issue in a manner influenced by Jane Goodall. In her submission, Lily shared how she was moved by the sight of wild mustangs enduring the challenges of their environment in Utah's West Desert, along with those they faced from inhumane population control methods. From that moment, Lily decided to pursue a career as an equine veterinarian to deliver more humane methods of population control to these majestic animals. 

Photo by Eliza Petersen

As the contest winner, Lily was awarded an all-expenses-paid trip to Seattle, Washington, where she met Jane Goodall in person after attending one of her lectures at the Moore Theater on March 30, 2024. Lily also received a $1,000 college savings certificate from the my529 Educational Savings Plan , a VIP visit to the Becoming Jane exhibition at NHMU (which is open through May 27, 2024), and a gift basket of Jane Goodall keepsakes from the Museum Store.

Following Lily's meet and greet with Jane, she recounted her admiration for her real-life superhero. 

“I admire her because of all she has done as a scientist, conservationist, and activist. As an animal lover I am thankful that she has proven that animals have feelings and emotions too," Lily said. "I loved being able to talk with her one on one about her own childhood experience with horses. It was so special to meet someone who worked so hard to make their own big childhood dreams come true. It is a moment I will never forget, and for which I am very thankful.” 

Read Lily's complete essay below.

Congratulations, Lily!

By Lily Peterson

For my seventh birthday, we took a trip out to see the Onaqui herd of wild mustangs. We searched for hours to find them, but it wasn’t until we were driving back along the desolate road that we spotted a small band of about nine horses out in the distance. Even though we kept our distance, I could feel the gentleness and protection the older horses showed towards their young. All these horses ever wanted was to survive the harsh desert and teach their young how to do the same. Throughout the years, these innocent wild horses have faced many challenges including roundups that often end with dead horses, being shipped off to slaughterhouses, and being shot for no reason. By my 90th birthday, I hope to impact the lives of wild mustangs so they can live on the range without the threat of being taken from their home or shot on any given day. 

In the history of the West, there has been a feud between ranchers and wild horse activists over where the mustangs should live. As the cattle industry grew it demanded more land for grazing, which the American government happily supplied, choosing to support cattle ranching rather than protect the wild mustangs. In the early 1900s, an estimated one million wild mustangs were counted, but during a recent count, there were only 8,300 free mustangs, and an additional 300 mustang skulls were found from those that had died (Moretti). The choice doesn’t have to be ranching or wild mustangs; there are ways for the two to coexist. Mustangs deserve to stay. Humans caused the problem, and humans should fix it. 

Wild horse activists have been working since the mid 1900s when Wild Horse Annie brought attention to the problems facing wild mustangs to the public. She hoped to find ways that cattle ranchers could live in harmony with the mustangs. One of the best solutions that has been suggested for mustang population control is the humane administration of birth control to some of the wild mares. This would allow the birth of wild horses each year but on a smaller scale. We cannot, however, have untrained people administering birth control to untamed horses. 

Equine veterinarians are best equipped to administer birth control, and I plan to become one of them when I grow up. Many horse-crazy girls have a copy of Black Beauty, but next to my copy, I have the Merck Veterinary Manual, which I received for my tenth birthday. I have also completed an online class in equine welfare and management through UC Davis. I want to become a veterinarian because I will be better equipped to advocate for the use of humane birth control if I am a trained veterinarian. When I am a veterinarian, I will also be able to assist in the administration of birth control, if such a time comes where it is allowed. 

Wild mustangs are an important part of our country, and by my 90th birthday, I want to provide wild mustangs with the opportunity to thrive in their homeland, unharmed by the human populations around them. If we were to take steps to protect the wild mustangs, it would show that we as a people care about more than just our own needs. Dr. Jane Goodall inspires me because she demonstrates the importance of understanding other creatures and protecting them and their environment. We are all interconnected, and like Dr. Goodall, we can strive to make the world safe for all living creatures. 

Work Cited 

Moretti, Laura. “History of America's Wild Horses | American Wild Horse Campaign.” American Wild Horse Conservation, https://americanwildhorse.org/history-americas-wild-horses. Accessed 5 March 2024.

Becoming Jane

Visit Becoming Jane at NHMU before it closes after May 27, 2024, to learn more about Jane Goodall's incredible career, from scientific research, to animal conservation, to inspiring a new generation of visionaries through programs like Roots & Shoots. The exhibit is included with museum admission.

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