Educational Outreach One of the Japan-America Society’s most important missions is to reach out to the next generation of young Americans and interest them in Japan and the world beyond our shores. We do this through three special programs - "Japan- in-a- Suitcase," "Visit Japan at Your Library," and the "Japan Festival Booth." JAPAN-IN-A-SUITCASE (JiS) is our primary educational outreach program for area schools. This program promotes understanding of Japan and Japanese culture to school children in Grades 3 and up through hands-on activities and demonstrations. A team of JiS volunteers comes to the school with a suitcase filled with all kinds of things - picture panels, maps, clothes, schools supplies – that illustrate contemporary life in Japan. The students also learn about the daily school life of Japanese children, basic Japanese greetings and counting, and basic geography of Japan. We can make multiple visits to individual classrooms (up to 5 times per school) or have a onetime 90 minute assembly for multiple classes. To learn more about this program, contact us. If you are a teacher interested in arranging a school visit for your students, please click here for the procedures and an application. VISIT JAPAN AT YOUR LIBRARY is the Society's newest program for elementary school students and welcomes children in Grades 4-6. Conducted by our volunteers at area public libraries during the summer months, it is a more in-depth, interactive, hand-on learning experience for children. The libraries also display books about Japan for the children to borrow and take home. Because this is a new program, it is not yet offered in all counties in the area. We hope to expand the program throughout the region in the years ahead. JAPAN FESTIVAL BOOTH - We also set up booths at elementary school cultural fairs and international festivals, as well as at other public and private venues such as libraries. The content at our Japan festival booth is based on both the Japan-in-a-Suitcase and the Japan at Your Library curricula and is aimed at elementary students. If you are planning an event and would like us to show Japanese culture with kimono fashion shows, games, and stories, please contact us at jisdc@us-japan.org. FOR VOLUNTEERS If you are interested in volunteering for our educational outreach programs, please click here for more information. We are always looking for volunteers who have first-hand experience with Japanese culture. Americans who have lived in Japan or Japanese citizens who are currently living in the DC area are strongly encouraged to volunteer. You will love interacting with these eager children. Thank you for your help! LEARN MORE Do you want to know what is going on with our educational programs today? Just contact us !!! The Japan-America Society of Washington, Inc. 1819 L Street NW, Level 1B, Washington DC 20036 (T) 202-833-2210 (F) 202-833-2456 Email: jaswdc@us-japan.org