Kon'nichiwa! Sacred Heart Academy’s enrollment grew by eight students and a teacher in March as we welcomed eight exchange students from St. Ursula School in Hachinohe, Japan for a two-week cultural immersion visit.
The newest Valkyries, who were paired with host students and families from SHA, were eager to
share their culture and customs, improve their English language skills, and bond over their
shared experiences as students in an Ursuline school.
The students had a busy visit, participating in English conversation classes at SHA, visiting Sacred
Heart Model School’s International Day event, helping celebrate SHA’s 5th straight state
basketball championship at Rupp Arena and at an all-school pep rally, and seeing some of the amazing art created by SHA’s IB Art students. A few of the students even participated in a detailed dissection lab in anatomy class with their SHA sisters. The students happily ventured off campus as well, and took
in a bit of Louisville tourism, with stops at the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory and the
iconic Kentcuky Derby Museum at Churchill Downs. They also enjoyed a walk across the Big Four Bridge to Indiana, and shared family meals, sports, and activities with their host families.
Our Japanese friends shared their cultural traditions as well, including sharing information about tea ceremonies, martial arts, and Japanese pop culture. Student Riko Kosaka told a local media outlet that a surprising element of her time at SHA included students asking questions during class, which isn’t encouraged in Japan. “Very different; while in class, many students raise (their) hand and ask teachers," Kosaka said. "It's very (surprising)."
It's been more than a decade since SHA hosted students from Japan, but we are looking forward to more visits in the future. The newly established Katie Brown Endowed Global Hearts Travel Program at Sacred Heart will allow the program to grow.
The Japanese students and their teacher, Ms. Shoko Takahashi, wrapped up their visit with a special farewell event at SHA as they prepared to return home. The students joined their host friends and family, teachers, and administrators at SHA for a fun pot-luck barbeque dinner that included lots of smiles, shared stories, a special farewell video from their SHA friends and community, and many memories made as the two Ursuline schools shared their special bonds.
