Junior High and High School Students in Japan and Abroad Present Projects to Realize Their Ideal Futures Online

KATARIBA.online MyproRoom supported by the TOMODACHI Initiative, a one-month online program for junior high and high school students, was held in September 2020, and joined by about 30 students who live all over Japan and abroad. Having the program online made it possible for participants with different backgrounds to join and inspire one another.

In the first week of the program, the participants started thinking about their ideal future, and planning what they could do to realize it as a project during the coming month. From the second to fourth week, they chose either a “creative course,” in which they learned presentation and design skills, or an “online event course,” in which they planned an online event to share their thoughts, and then worked on their own projects before the final presentation and event. They presented their final work at the report-sharing event, “Online Project Fes!”

One of the student groups, who worked on the theme of the marine pollution, presented on how marine plastic waste is a big problem, as is wastewater from factories and households and marine accidents, and that plastics in household waste could end up in the ocean and have negative effects on animals and people. The group asked the audience how people could utilize this marine plastic that is seen as garbage, and then shared an example of using it as a material for art.

The participants commented, “I learned that there are people my age who are working on full-scale social contribution projects in various fields, which gave me an opportunity to reconsider myself and my future,” and “I got advice on asking others for their opinions and help.”

The participants have already begun to take action in their close communities. It is expected that the participants will continue to act toward their ideal future based on the understanding and successful experiences they gained through the program.

This program is funded by a generous contribution from Northrop Grumman Corporation.