Report on Endeavor Summer Retreat 2022
“What Can We do to Make an Environment Where Young People Try Something easily?”
A summer program for high school students was held!
Overview
In addition to a summer program for university students, “Endeavor Summer Retreat 2022” had been held in Nagano city for high school students who got a scholarship named “Endeavor” by Beyond Tomorrow from August 16th to 19th.
On this program which consists only of high school students, they had thought about “What Can We Do to Make an Environment Where Young People Try Something easily?” through various interactions with various companies and people.
【Organizer】 Global Fund for Education Assistance
【Venues】 Nagano City and Ueda City in Nagano Prefecture
【Participants】10 High School Students Who Took Part in Endeavor Program
【Supports】 Nagano Prefectural Board of Education and NHK Nagano Broadcasting Station
Schedule
First Day : Orientation, Speaker session, Sharing Experiences
Second Day : Nature Experience, Visiting to Clinic, Interactions with University Students in Nagano, Discussion
Third Day : Visiting to TV stations, Visiting to Samurai Gakuen, Volunteer Activities at Children’s Cafeteria
Forth Day : Presentation, Reflection
Purpose
This “Summer Retreat 2022” makes the students think more deeply about their future by various interactions and experiences in Nagano prefecture. Because of COVID-19, while young people cannot have chances to experience something for real, the program can become an impetus for them to grasp the structure of society voluntarily by getting experiences with their own eyes and keeping doing.
Theme of the Program
“As One of the Leaders in the Future Society, What Can We Do for Young People Who Are Suffering from Difficulties?”Program Highlight First Day : Speaker Session
On the first day of the program, Tamura Hidehiko, who is a president of Furoshikiya Ltd., came and talked about various activities to revitalize communities, challenges and difficulties which prevent them. This session became a trigger to think about “what makes the environment that is easy to try something” and “what are challenges for us?”
Program Highlight Second Day : Field Trip. Visiting to Company and Interaction with University Students.
In the early morning on the second day, the students went to “Forest Adventure” to do athletic activities for feeling the air of nature in Nagano. Through experiences which were very thrilling and full of refreshing like “Zip Slide” which crosses over a lake which is over 150m, they enjoyed themselves with the associates.
In the afternoon, they visited an orthopedic hospital which is located in the center part of Nagano city. When they think about their future, it is very important to see many businesses for increasing choices of life. So, by questionnaires, visiting medical institutions was decided. At Miyashita Orthopedic Hospital which they went to, they talked with various staffs like orthopedists, nurses, radiographers, assistants of rehabilitation and so on to know the job descriptions and what rewarding points they think.
After visiting the clinic, they interacted with university students who take part in an organization named “Youth Reach” which has a concept of “Making Nagano Better by Little and Little”. They listened to the stories of university students who are the role model for the high school students. Also, they asked many questions about their study and life as a university student in a happy atmosphere. By this session, the students were able to get the impression after they become a university student.
Visiting to a Medical Institution
Program Highlight Third Day : Visiting to a Company and Field Work.
They went to NHK Nagano Broadcasting Station on the third day. They experienced what a broadcast studio is like by hearing stories from various businesses related to broadcasting in NHK. The students looked a little nervous when they felt like working as an anchorman.
In the noon, they moved to Ueda city, and went to Samurai Gakuen Ueda. By knowing what this school does for students who refuse to go to school, they learned the way of independent support and roles which NPO play in society.
In the early evening, they visited a children’s cafeteria which is run mainly by high school students called “Okemaru Shokudo” in Ueda. Although they could not be involved in a volunteer activity which provides meal by COVID-19, they helped the activity of food assistance. This visiting allowed them to know a specific example that high school students take actions for their community. This visiting also became an useful experience for them.
Visiting to a Set in a Studio.
Main Campus of Samurai Gakuen in Ueda
Knowing about Efforts by Samurai Gakuen.
In Okemaru Shokudo
Program Highlight Forth Day : Proposal Presentation
On the last day, the students made a proposal about “As One of the Leaders in the Future Society, What Can We Do for Young People Who Are Suffering from Difficulties?” by devising action plans. At the presentation, Seki Shoichiro, who is Vice-Governor of Nagano prefecture, Nakagawa Ryohei, who is Assistant Professor in Faculty of Global Management Studies in the University of Nagano, Hayashi Reiko, who is Vice President in BofA Securities Japan Co., Ltd., and Hashimoto Daijiro, who is Representative Director of Beyond Tomorrow, were invited.
In the presentations held by two groups, there were some ideas made like making a group named “Clasher” for helping people who want to try something and a bar named “Kodomo Bar” which heartens people who failed. The students made very creative and unique presentations like presenting plays.
Proposal Presentation
Presenting What They Knew from the Program
Voice of Students
“What was the most impressive scene in the retreat was the interaction with people in Okemaru Shokudo. I could express my feelings to high school students in Nagano prefecture by talking about my school life and challenges of young people. Also, I felt I have new friends. This makes me very assured and will become a stimulus in my future.”
“By spending 4 days and 3 nights with 10 staffs and friends, I have had so many opportunities to talk with many people who I had never met. From this experience, I realized that I have so many associates and people who help me. In the future, I will advance in the direction of my dream by making so many efforts, being unafraid of depending on someone, and remembering gratitude to become a person who is accepted by my comrades and can respond to backup by people around me.”
“The stories from Tamura Hidehiko of Furoshikiya Ltd. were very interesting because they included so many good points which can be used in the presentation. Unlike the previous program, I had been nervous before this program because I did not have any senior associates who I can depend on. However, I was able to express my opinons and hear others’ steadily. As a result, I could go through this program. I also became active when I expressed opnions and asked questions. “
” I will make use of knowledge gained from the actions in a dormitory of Samurai Gakuen like “how do the students live in the dormitory” and by children in “Okemaru Shokudo” like food assistance, studying and playngs in the future to make a
good place. “
