A Twenty Year Exchange of Friendship

A twenty-year student exchange between the East Hampton High School and the Asahikawa Senior High School in Japan prompted an invitation to Dr. Theresa Trouvé, high school principal, and Jim Stewart, faculty advisor to the exchange, to be honored guests at the Japanese school’s 100th anniversary celebration. They attended formal ceremonies at the school and at the Grand Hotel in Asahikawa, a city of some 365,000 inhabitants. Dr. Trouvéwas a guest speaker at the reception. Other speakers at the celebration included the prefect, the mayor, the president of Asahikawa University, and the principal of the Daigaku high school. It is gratifying to note that every one of the speakers made reference to the twenty year student exchange between East Hampton and Asahikawa. Dr. Trouvé and Mr. Stewart were warmly received by the 17 exchange students who spent three weeks in East Hampton this past spring. Mr. Jun Watanabe who is the faculty advisor for the exchange at the Daigaku senior high school, served as an escort and guide to Dr. Trouvé and Mr. Stewart during their visit. The Daigaku Senior High School assumed the expenses for the East Hampton guests of honor to make the trip. As has been the custom of the student exchange, Dr. Trouvé and Mr. Stewart presented, on behalf of the East Hampton School District, a celebratory bowl with appropriate engraving of the message of congratulations on the occasion of the 100th anniversary. This bowl was presented to Dr. Endo during the reception held at the Grand Hotel which was attended by some 350 dignitaries, parents and students. A letter opener was presented to the principal, Mr. Takashi Endo. During their visit to East Hampton last spring, the teachers and students of the Daigaku Senior High School presented East Hampton High School with a china plate with gold engraving bearing information of their school’s distinguished standings in baseball. Dr. Trouvé was presented with a baseball mounted on a mahogany base with suitable engraving.

During her speech, Dr. Trouvé drew a striking comparison between the twenty-year student exchange and the 100th anniversary of the school, "As a result of our student exchange, our young people of Japan and the United States understand clearly what it means to be global friends, and the importance of reaching out as an ambassador of good will to form relationships that are genuine, that endure, that perpetuate the good reason and sincerity of real global partnerships. A twenty year students exchange is the natural extension of an educational institution whose unfailing efforts can span a century."

The history of the Student Exchange is something that the East Hampton community can be proud of. Mr. James Barry founded the exchange with Asahikawa, a city on the northern island of Hokkaido through the Council on International Education Exchange in 1978. Mr. Barry is an avid scholar of Japanese culture and history. Mr. Jim Stewart took over the coordinator’s duties when Mr. Barry retired in 1988.

Mrs. Preische was the first group leader. She was followed by Mr. Churchill, Mr. Stewart, Mrs. Jones, Mrs. Marsilio, Mrs. Spina, and Ms. Collins.

Over 100 students from East Hampton have participated in this cultural exchange over the past 20 years. Our program is unique in that it incorporates a home stay in Asahikawa, school experiences, cultural experiences, a tour of Hiroshima, Kyoto and Tokyo. Then there is the enriching experiences of hosting students from Asahikawa. During their stay in East Hampton, students visited the Montauk School, Amagansett School, the East Hampton Middle School, John M. Marshall Elementary School, and the Bridgehampton School. This exchange involves not only our East Hampton High School students, but also the entire East Hampton community.