Congratulations! The Hokuryu Town Children and Elderly Interaction Promotion Committee received the 2020 Sorachi District Educational Practice Award

Tuesday, March 9, 2021

The Hokuryu Town Children and Elderly Interaction Promotion Committee was awarded the Sorachi Education Bureau's 2020 Sorachi District Educational Practice Award in the group category, and the award ceremony was held at the Hokuryu Town Community Center Auditorium on Monday, March 8th.

FY2020 Sorachi District Educational Practice Award

The Sorachi District Educational Practice Award is given to schools and organizations that have made significant contributions to the improvement of school education in Hokkaido, and individuals who have achieved great results in practical activities for social education.In fiscal year 2020, four organizations and one individual were awarded the award.

Group Division

・Takikawa City Higashi Elementary School (HP), Takikawa City Meien Junior High School (HP), Hokkaido Iwamizawa Ryokuryo High School (HP), Hokuryu Town Children and Elderly Interaction Promotion Committee

The Hokuryu Town Children and Elderly Interaction Promotion Committee has been highly praised for its social education activities over the past 37 years, which have fostered intergenerational exchanges that enrich the hearts of children while also bringing joy and meaning to the elderly.

Individual Division

・Hidehiro Yoshida (Yuni Town)

Hokuryu Town Children and Elderly Interaction Promotion Committee

It started as a "contact project" sponsored by the Hokuryu Town Education Committee, triggered by the implementation of the Hokkaido Education Committee's "Interaction Project between Youth and the Elderly" in 1983 (Showa 58).

Currently, the group consists of 14 community interaction promoters (13 elderly people and the vice principal of Shinryu Elementary School). The promoters include people in their 70s from the town.

Over 150 elementary school students participate each year, and the event is run in collaboration with various organizations such as the Children's Association, Youth Group, and Chamber of Commerce. Activities include pounding rice cakes (an experience of traditional living), sowing and harvesting vegetables in the farm (an experience of hard work), and building snow huts (a nature exploration activity), and are held about eight times a year.

Award ceremony held at the community center auditorium

Director Fujimura Makoto of the Sorachi Board of Education presented the 2020 Sorachi District Educational Practice Award to the Hokuryu Town Children and Elderly Interaction Promotion Committee (Representative Nakamura Shizuo).

Certificate of commendation

"For 37 years, your organization has made significant contributions to the development of social education in your jurisdiction by passing on the rich experience and diverse skills of the elderly through intergenerational exchange, contributing to the healthy development of children, and actively working to build connections between townspeople. We hereby commend you for your achievements. March 8, 2021, Hokkaido Prefectural Superintendent of Education, Sorachi Education Bureau Director, Makoto Fujimura."

Speech by Superintendent Arima Kazushi and Representative Nakamura Shizuo

Kazushi Arima Superintendent of Education

"This award is a great encouragement to our promoters and we are very grateful for it.

Hokuryu Town's community activities began in 1983 as a program aimed at promoting interaction between the elderly and children. Even within the Sorachi region, I believe that Hokuryu Town's community activities are quite rare. They are held eight times a year, and include traditional lifestyle experiences such as mochi pounding, bean throwing, and karuta (card games), as well as hands-on activities like vegetable harvesting.

However, this year, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of events was reduced to four, including the Kendama Experience, Harvest Festival, and Yukinko Festival. The final event, the graduation ceremony, marks the end of the year, with perfect attendance awards being presented.

Participants are recruited through their schools and participation is voluntary, so the number of participants may fluctuate if other events overlap. The children, from first grade to sixth grade, seem to be genuinely enjoying themselves.

The promoters who support the project are mostly in their 70s, with some ranging in age from 68 to 84. Interacting with the children and seeing them having fun seems to motivate them and give them a sense of purpose in their work.

In Hokuryu Town, the tradition of elderly people watching over children has been cultivated. Children up to the third grade of elementary school participate in the after-school care program, and they arrive at the after-school care classroom every day from school cheerfully, saying, "I'm home!" and enjoying themselves in a friendly atmosphere.

Hokuryu Town Communication Project Promotion Committee Member, Representative: Shizuo Nakamura

Representative Shizuo Nakamura (82 years old) has been participating in the Fureai project for 37 years, since its first event in 1983.

"I love children and always enjoy participating. The participants are the fathers of the children currently participating, and I feel energized by the children every time I participate."

Commemorative photo

With boundless love, gratitude, and prayers for the long-standing family-like bonds of the people of Hokuryu Town, and the connection of great souls who share joy together...

Other photos

・Congratulations! Photos of the 2020 Sorachi District Educational Practice Awards (12 photos) are here >>

Related articles

・Kendama Ken-chan is coming (Children and Seniors Interaction Project, Hokuryu Town Board of Education)(July 21, 2020)
・Interaction Project: Playing in the Snow Outside and Closing Ceremony(February 19, 2013)
・The 15th River Friends Summer Festival 2012(July 17, 2012)
・Interactive strawberry picking event!(June 25, 2012)
・Children's Karuta Tournament and Bean Throwing Ceremony Held(January 15, 2011)

◇ Photography and editing: Noboru Terauchi Interview and text: Ikuko Terauchi