All's well that ends well. So, be serious about everything in this term.
It has been almost two years since we were hit by the corona disaster. Even now, the spread of infection is continuing due to the Omicron strain and we have to remain vigilant. We need to take preventive measures as always, such as washing hands, wearing masks, and avoiding the 3-dense environments. If you wake up in the morning and have a fever or do not feel well, do not overdo it; take a day off from school and seek medical attention. If someone else in your family is sick, do not come to school. Although it is cold in the school, please ventilate rooms regularly and make sure to eat quietly at lunchtime. Let's all do our best to get through this pinch.
Last Saturday, one of our traditional junior high school events, the "Spring Festival," was held in the chapel, where students presented the results of their year-long learning activities in public. It was a wonderful festival with a rich variety of presentations and performances. The first part started with a Koto (Japanese harp) performance, followed by presentations on the work experience and a "Dogo Tour" using video projection, and also a performance by the dance club. In the second part, we enjoyed the film performances by the drama club and the brass band club, and an original English drama by the 3rd year students. This was based on the theme of the SDGs and was even better than usual, and had subtitles on the screen. At the same time, there was an exhibition of wagashi (Japanese sweets), small boxes, and artwork made of clay by the first year students. The second year students displayed ikebana, Tobe painted pottery and the art club members displayed other works. The third year students presented haiku poems, handmade picture books, and a report on the water quality survey in Jonofuchi Park. Throughout the entire event, we were impressed by the unity of the junior high school students. I would like to thank all the students for their hard work and preparation, over many Saturday School days.
By the way, do you know Shohei Ohtani, who won the MVP of the American Major League Baseball last year? Even those who don't pay much attention to baseball must know that he achieved greatness by being both a good pitcher (throwing) and batter (hitting). He is loved not only by baseball fans in Japan and the U.S., but by other teams as well. That's not just to mention his baseball skills, but he's someone we can respect as a person. His casual attitude and proper behavior, such as picking up trash at the ballpark, the expression he shows to the umpire, and the way he takes care of his equipment. Even when he hits a home run or becomes the winning pitcher, he doesn't get carried away; he calmly sets his sights on the next goal and takes on the challenge in a humble and positive manner. It is wonderful to see that with his appearance, the value of humanity is being reevaluated beyond his great achievements in baseball. Do you remember the educational goal of our school? It is "to nurture women who acquire dignity and integrity and can live flexibly." I hope that every one of you can learn something from Ohtani's character.
As the saying goes, "January is the month to go, February is the month to run, and March is the month to leave." January goes quickly, February runs away, and March goes away. There are only a few days left in the school year. The term-end exams will be announced soon. I hope that each of you will study diligently to prepare for them. For the third year student, please do what you need to do before you graduate.
All's well that ends well. So, be serious about everything left in this term.
