Hello, this is Kasumi Ozawa from Study Abroad Section. I would like to share with you about the visit of our valued partner from New Zealand.

On Friday, October 4th, 2024, with a pleasant autumn breeze, Ms. Kerrie Hodgson from Otago Polytechnic in New Zealand, with whom we have a long-standing partnership, visited ICT. The main purpose of her visit was to share information with the students who will be studying abroad next year and to meet the students directly in order to ensure that they have a fulfilling study abroad experience. Our relationship with Otago Polytechnic began in 2002, and Ms. Hodgson has served as a bridge between Otago Polytechnic and ICT from the beginning. We are very grateful to Ms. Hodgson, who has been a trusted partner to us, and we extended our warmest welcome to her.

Otago Polytechnic has campuses in Oakland, Cromwell, and Dunedin, and our 3rd year students are enjoying their study abroad experience in Dunedin, where their headquarters are located. Twenty-one students will be studying abroad next year, and as preparations begin, they are thinking about the life that awaits them in New Zealand. Meeting and talking with Ms. Hodgson must have made their ideas about study abroad more realistic. Ms. Hodgson greeted the students, introduced them to Otago Polytechnic, and told them about New Zealand and Dunedin. The students' eyes seemed to light up when she told them that they could see wild penguins, fur seals, and albatrosses in Otago Bay. I think seeing wildlife and feeling beautiful nature is one of the things that students want to do in Dunedin. I am sure that her important message, “‘Don't be afraid to try things and be proactive’ is the key of studying abroad”, has reached the hearts of the students.

The students moved to the cafeteria for lunch and to have smaller conversations with Ms. Hodgson. Only a few students actively asked questions, which I thought was an issue for the future. The key to a successful study abroad experience is to express their thoughts and feelings to the fullest extent, without hesitation. I hope that the students will make use of what they thought and felt during her visit in their preparation for and during their study abroad.

昼食を取りながら２年生と会話をするホッジスン氏

We admire Ms. Hodgson as “She is more Japanese than Japanese”. We have a lot of trust in her because of her sincere hospitality and dedication to our program. We hope that she will continue to act as a bridge between our two schools and enhance our partnership.

Kasumi Ozawa

1年生クラス写真

 Hello everyone! The 1st year homeroom and STEM class teacher, Brandon Wohlfarth, here to tell you about our trip with the 1st and 2nd year students on the Hakusan Shirakawa-go White Road on Friday September 20th, 2024. For those who do not know, Hakusan Shirakawa-go White Road is a famous sightseeing spot in the HAKUSANROKU (Foothills of Mt. Hakusan) area during the fall and summer. It is a beautiful stretch of road with various scenic photo spots where you can experience the wonderful expanse of nature, go hiking, or just enjoy a casual drive through nature. The original plan was to go for a hike through the woods along the White Road; however, due to the chance of rain that was forecasted for that day, we adjusted our plan to be a bus tour along the road instead. Even though we had planned for rain, it ended up being a beautiful, extremely hot day. 

 Our first stop along the White Road was a lookout point at the top of a mountain that separated Ishikawa and Gifu Prefectures. There, students could walk around the viewing area, take pictures on a swing that overlooked Gifu, or enjoy a snack or drink at a local shop. Seeing the students chatting, enjoying nature, and taking pictures of the spectacular view was wonderful.

 After this, we returned to the bus and traveled to a waterfall along the road. Here we took class pictures! This was only a brief stop just to see the waterfall, and we then continued to our last stop, the Chugu Onsen Visitor Center. Here, some students looked at the nature of HAKUSAN (Foothills of Mt. Hakusan) exhibits, while others went to the nearby river to play and skip stones. The students here really enjoyed the time they spent outside and playing by the river. Phillip Cadzow sensei even convinced some students to wade into the water with him. After that, the students returned to the bus, and we returned to ICT. I hope that the students were able to have some fun and enjoy their morning in nature, that we get to experience every day here at the Hakusanroku Campus.

Brandon Wohlfarth

Hello, everyone. I'm Meguru Ito, one of the physics teachers at ICT. This year, the STEM Fair was held on Wednesday September 18th, 2024, for the 1st year students, and on Wednesday September 25th, for the 2nd year students. The STEM Fair is an annual event held in mid-September, where students present the results of their Summer STEM Project, which is given as a summer assignment at ICT. In simpler terms, it’s a presentation of their summer independent research, but the students create posters in English and give their presentations in English, making it quite a challenging event. I envisioned it as something similar to a science fair, where students at schools abroad present their research, and hoped we could create a similar festive atmosphere when we started this at the Hakusanroku campus.

 Last year, in the Hakusanroku Journal , I introduced the origins of the STEM Fair and rules of the fair, so this year I would like to give a general review of the 2nd year students' presentations.
 Additionally, this year, we were finally able to reinstate the "Overseas English Program,” a short-term study abroad course for 2nd year students during the summer vacation. Seven students participated in three-week language training programs overseas during their summer break. Since the three-week program uses almost all of the summer vacation period, I thought it would be too difficult for the students to do the STEM Project, so I excused them from STEM projects. Instead, they conducted a “Debriefing Session of the Overseas English Program” at the same time as the STEM Fair. I was a little worried because there would be fewer students presenting at the STEM Fair, but they all gave presentations that blew those worries away.

Presentation by Mitsuki Ohta, a 2nd year student: Rear Wing and Downforce

 For the 2nd year students, I required them to write a proposal, collect data and give a poster presentation. For the presentation, they had to include tables and graphs on their posters as well as explain what they did so that everyone could understand the purpose of their research.
 What struck me the most this time was that many students presented topics and data from fields I wasn't familiar with, which made listening to all the presentations highly engaging. I was particularly impressed by Mitsuki Ohta, a 2nd year student who won the Best Presentation Award, for creating his own wind tunnel experiment equipment. His dedication was truly remarkable. Incidentally, Mitsuki Ohta also placed 2nd last year, and his brother, Haruki Ohta, a 3rd year student, has consistently placed 1st in past STEM Fairs. They are a family of top performers in the competition.

 I was also impressed by the significant evolution of the 2nd year students since last year. It was clear from their presentations how much effort and time they invested in this STEM project. Compared to last year's presentations, many students demonstrated a remarkable improvement in quality. Their familiarity with the tasks and presentations played a role in this enhancement, highlighting the effectiveness of the education at the ICT.

 I may have mentioned this before, but to be honest, I haven't really provided much direct guidance myself. However, thanks to the students' efforts and the support of the faculty, I believe the STEM Fair has become a signature event at ICT. As the number of students increases, we may need to change the way presentations are conducted, which could add to the faculty's workload. Nonetheless, I truly love the students' unique projects, and I hope we can continue this project. In the future, I would like to invite not only some of the faculty members from the Hakusanroku Campus, but also students, teachers and staff from Kanazawa campus as well. (Though the students might not be thrilled about it!)

Meguru Ito

Hello, this is Hitomi Nanto from ICT Kanazawa Office. Today, I am introducing our facility,” The Learning Commons”.
The Learning Commons was launched on the first floor of the Kanazawa Campus in September 2023. This room is a large learning space for independent learning activities such as self-learning, group studying, preparation of presentations, and discussion. It is mainly used by 4th and 5th year students who commute to the Kanazawa Campus and is designed to help them spend their precious free time after school.
Students at ICT can use this room freely which contains interactive and movable whiteboards and multi-purpose outlets on the tables. After school, I often see students sitting in the box seats by the window, enjoying self-study and conversation with their classmates. It is exciting to think that we can spend time with our friends and create new possibilities together in a place like this.

Tables and chairs in the middle of this room can be used not only for self-study but also for group work by rearranging the tables. Movable whiteboards and projectors can be used for seminars, workshops, and group brainstorming sessions.

These are booth seats like those in a diner. Some students can be seen relaxing with their classmates, spreading out their lunch boxes and snacks, or engaging in self-study. The center of the table is equipped with an electrical multi-purpose outlet, which is very convenient for charging computers and tablets.

This is the counter area and a casual space for learning and discussion. Large displays and whiteboards on the walls can be used for effective group study and discussion by displaying images from PCs.

　Hitomi Nanto

Hello again! It’s me, Domyson Abuan, a Learning Mentor at ICT Hakusanroku campus. I am back with my second journal entry. This time, I have a story to share to mark my first anniversary of working at ICT!

My best friend gifted me a shirt that says, “EPIC FAIL.” At first, wearing something that labels me a failure seemed odd, but I proudly wear it anytime. “EPIC FAIL” has become a popular slang term for funny or ridiculous mishaps, usually made while doing something simple.

 It all started two years ago when the two of us joined a sports event in Ishikawa—wall climbing, BMX, parkour, all packed into one venue! So exciting! We drove a few hours to get there—only to discover that the event was mainly for kids!

 We were the only adults lining up to do parkour with children, looking like two out-of-place chaperones. To make it even funnier, I struggled with the course, and the kids easily beat me! We laughed so much that we dubbed the day an “EPIC FAIL.”

 Despite the mishap, we had a great time, and it became the start of more epic adventures—a race in Hokkaido, firefly squid fishing in Namerikawa, and even backpacking in the Philippines. Every trip brought more epic failures, but with each one, we picked life lessons. My friend gave me the shirt, and it reminded me of how much we’ve learned from those moments.

 Fast forward to August 7th, 2024. I wore my “EPIC FAIL” shirt during ICT Hakusanroku campus’s summer camp, where students from various schools gathered for STEM workshops. The theme of the camp was “Imagineering a dream company aimed at the future we want to see!!”, and I was assigned to introduce the concept. Imagineering blends imagination and technical skills, encouraging students to create innovative solutions for pressing social issues.

 I secretly hoped someone would ask about my shirt so I could tie it into the importance of failure in engineering. But to my surprise (and true to the spirit of an epic fail), all the workshops finished, and no one asked.

 Later that afternoon, while playing badminton with the participants in the gym, I finally got my chance. Three students from Thailand approached me, and one of them, a boy named CJ, noticed my shirt. He giggled and asked why I was wearing it. It was music to my ears! I felt like the universe was behind me, cheering me on to seize the moment.

 I told them about the meaning of the slang. We also discussed that in engineering—and in life—we often encounter failure. To my delight, they were genuinely engaged in the conversation. We discussed how failure proves that we’re trying, taking action, and learning. It pushes our ideas forward, eventually leading to better versions and successful outcomes. One of the boys chimed in saying, "As long as we keep trying, failing is okay." I couldn’t agree more, adding, "And if you’re going to fail while trying, make it epic so you always remember the lessons!"

 That conversation felt like a mission accomplished for the day.

 I saw the boys again later at the workshop venue. They smiled and waved, recognizing me as “the guy with the epic fail shirt.” Even if they didn’t remember my name, I was happy they recalled the conversation we had that night.

On the last day of camp, I was playing the ukulele with Sin, another participant. CJ approached me, holding something in his hands. He gave it to me and said, “This is for you.” He told me he enjoyed our conversation and wanted to give me a gift.

 I was thrilled to know that our talk had resonated with at least one student. As I write this, I’m marking one year of working at ICT. I’m incredibly grateful for moments like these, where we get to share engineering insights with students—lessons I hope will serve them as life skills as they grow.

 Oh, and by the way, CJ’s gift was a pair of traditional Thai pants! I’m sure they’ll go perfectly with my “EPIC FAIL” shirt. I can’t wait to wear the combo at a future workshop.

 Looking ahead, I’m excited to experience more realizations, “EPIC FAIL”, and eventual successes with the school community as we continue striving toward ICT’s goal of fostering global innovators. I’ll be sure to share more stories in future journal entries!

Domyson Abuan, Learning Mentor