CANADIAN ACADEMY

rEV EW Scientia Clavis Successus “Knowledge is the Key to Successful Service”

Fall 2008

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The REVIEW is published by the Advancement Office for alumni, parents, students, faculty and friends of Canadian Academy. Editor and layout: F. Alsdorf ’62. Please send letters, news items, and address updates to the Alumni Office (alumni@mail.canacad.ac.jp).

Fred Wesson—Headmaster, Charles Kite—Assistant HeadmasterGerad Carrier—High School Principal, Michael Colaianni—Middle School Principal

Matthew Flinchum—Elementary School Principal, Jon Schatzky—Assistant Elementary School PrincipalAmy Wesson—Director of Advancement, Fred Alsdorf—Director of Alumni Relations

CANADIAN ACADEMY, 4-1 Koyo-cho Naka, Higashinada-ku, Kobe 658-0032 JapanPhone: 81-(0)78-857-0100 Fax: 81-(0)78-857-3250

http://www.canacad.ac.jp

2008: Nicole Jordan, Ayukta Thakur2007: Lillian Madrigal, Johann Qua

Hiansen2006: Shridevi Bajaj, Takuma Tanaka2005: Maria Cho, Namita Lal, Hironori

Maeda, Lovina Sachdev2004: Anishi Jhaveri, Min Joo Lee, Mai

Nitta, Blake Pierce2003: Rie Wang, Jovan Yamagishi 2002: Arpana Bothra, Anupam Kumar2001: Ashok Pillai, Moritz Plischke2000: Stephanie Arndt, Tara Wakely1999: Kwang Joon Kim1998: Sarah Kashani, Kaoru Yamaguchi 1997: Manisha Motwani 1996: Maria Yakura 1995: Pitch Ruanglek 1994: Alex Young 1993: Naomi Halewood, Charles Hill 1992: Hani Debs, Scott Prebola 1991: Caitlin Broderick, Kamal Ramani 1990: Sheri Shamdasani Sen1989: Peter Shane, Janelle Nine-Guidy1988: Greg Smith 1987: Lisa Eby Coscia 1986: Andrew Meehan Migita 1985: Yuki Sugimura Robinson, Jackie

Dadlani1984: Kojiro Dan, Naoko Tani Fukuchi,

Seiji Okamura, Marie Liang Ryo 1983: John Jun Hirai 1982: Johanna Leonhardt Hirota 1981: Debbie Bergh 1980: Karin Johansson Tims 1979: Garet Gluck 1978: David Emanuel 1977: Judy Joyce Calcote, Steve McArtin 1976: Pauline Baldwin 1975: Beverly Cunningham Washichek,

Phil Friesen 1974: Celia Oyler, Joel Likins 1973: Ellen Cary Bearn1972: Joan Griswold, Ann Parsons

Scheleen 1971: Tim Gillespie 1970: Greg Maxey 1969: John Cunningham 1968: Meggan Moorhead, Gordon

Sakaue1967: Stanley Flewelling 1966: Mark Ericson 1965: Mike Fay, Stanley Wayne 1964: Cookie Jarmain Smith-Otani 1963: John Gillespie 1962: Barbara Johnson Rogers 1961: Karen Cole Lockwood, Joy

McGarvey Bupp 1960: Robert Steffey 1959: Sharon Herrgott 1958: Mary Helen Hilburn Kuehner 1957: Representative needed *Pre-war: David Bach ’42, Karina

Dahmen ’41To serve as a class representative or to contact a representative, please visit www.canacad.ac.jp/Alm_Reps.php* We are seeking class reps for 1957 and earlier. Interested? Please contact alumni@mail.canacad.ac.jp

Alumni ClassRepresentatives

The Canadian Academy logo has seen many but very slight revisions since it first appeared after our founding in 1913. In October 2008, a new variation was added that incorporates a “catch phrase” to reflect our new mission statement. Thank you to Nestlé and McCann Erickson for lending their expertise to CA in designing this for us.

Mission Statement

Canadian Academy inspires students to inquire, reflect, and choose to compassionately impact the world throughout their lives.

Canadian Academy Core Values We believe that:

• Embracing human diversity provides opportunities for enrichment• The health of our planet depends on the actions of each individual• Compassionate actions benefit communities• What we envision can be achieved through knowledge, creativity, and passion• Critical inquiry is an essential component of more profound learning• Leading by example is the essence of integrity• Open, respectful, and inclusive communication builds trust• Challenging experiences are opportunities for learning and growth• Lifelong learning leads to self-discovery and personal meaning• Flexibility is necessary for success in a world of accelerating change

Cover photo: teamwork on Sports Day 2008.

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Back row: Junwa Kurata, Yoshizumi Shimizu, Nanase Oi, Satsuki Muramoto, Sierra Walker, Abby Hunter, Itsuko Yamaguchi, Nicole Groombridge, Margot Jaggy, Sean Ferguson, Winsor Wesson, Justin Taylor, John Rabb, Yu-Hui “Heather” Lin, Thomas OswaltThird row: Megumi Morioka, Megan Darrough, Nicole Jordan, Sharon Chen, Mary Nakazawa, Mariko Hirai, Karan Kalwani, BK Sobhani, Sami Ajami, Sunny Bhasin, Shuichi Narita, Karma Lal, Maki Sumitani, Takako Taniguchi Second row: Vijayalakshmi Prakash, Meagan Taylor, Rilla Sakamaki, Chihiro Hirai, Hiroe Hu, Sneha Venkateswaran, Riya Jhaveri, Nikita Javeri, Sango Tajima, Jennifer Ishigami, Hi Sung “Harry” Kwon, Ryang Cho, Ayukta Thakur, Joanna Erica NolascoFront row: Angelica Arenzana Lopez, Anna Graziano, Lindsay Tweed, Maya Hayakawa, Michael Harris, Irene Tseng, Jae Wook Park, Hana Ito, Serena Malkani, Michael Colaianni, Amin Ghadimi, Jonathan Warner, Koichiro Miyatake, Ema Ryan

Congratulations to the Class of 2008! Canadian Academy wishes each and every one of you all the best for a bright and successful future as you make your way out on to the world stage.

As I look at your graduation picture above, I think back to my graduation photo and my graduation from CA. Back then, I must have been very excited and not focused on the ceremony or most of what was being said for—if the truth be told—I don’t remember graduating! CA’s newest alumni, if you are even the least bit like me, perhaps you’d like to review some of the wise words that High School PE instructor and your Commencement speaker Ken Rabb shared with you at your graduation on June 8, 2008.

Fred Alsdorf ’62Director of Alumni Relations

When I was a youngster, I was very mischievous. Perhaps this comes to no surprise to those of you in the Class and audience who know me. One evening with a close friend we did something we should not have done. And as luck would have it, a police officer witnessed our behavior and began pursuing us in his vehicle. The officer caught my friend whose legs got tangled on a fence as we attempted to elude him. Immediately, with his gun out of his hostler he ordered for me to return. Of course, I was petrified and without delay adhered to his command. The officer decided it was best to bring me home rather than have my parents pick me up at the police station. To this day, the image remains vivid in my mind the gaze of disbelief on my parents’ faces when they answered the doorbell and saw me in the back of the police car in handcuffs. I had thoughts that this must be the end of the world. What I did not understand at the time is how caring and understanding an individual my father was. He took me into a room and looked into my eyes for what seemed like eternity. It was as if time had stopped; the seconds seemed like hours. He could sense that I understood the gravity of the situation. His words were very few and expressed that he understood that I knew my behavior had embarrassed me and that was sufficient reason for him not to continue to lecture me. To say I was a perfect child after that incident would be untruthful. However, the incident was forgotten and never “held over my head.”

This lesson provided me with understanding of the importance of forgiveness. I promise each of you, the Class of 2008, at least once in your life you will struggle with the issue of forgiveness. Perhaps you will be a victim of betrayal or feel violated or cheated in some manner. Understanding what has occurred and how to respond can be extremely difficult. You will have conflicting thoughts when the circumstance develops. My parents’ response might not have been the correct response with a different set of variables. Your decision will define who you are. However, remember an existence filled with forgiveness is a life well lived.

Due to my parents “forgiveness” I was never convicted. Which leads into my second narrative….

My second story is about conviction, a different type of conviction. Today, our world is filled with conflict in many quarters. Each day

as we read periodicals or view the media, one quickly understands the magnitude of the problems and their implications which our society confronts today. The world can be a frightening place. Each generation has a unique set of circumstances that are defining moments. My peers and I had decisions to make in regard to the Vietnam War—whether to join the military if asked to serve. Many adhered to the law and when called to serve for their country bravely answered the call. Others eluded the draft by leaving the country. A third group chose to express their frustration and disillusionment with the war with a defiant act against the law of the land. I was a member of this third group. I destroyed my draft card—thus forfeiting my student exempt status from the war. This was against the law. However, my belief was and continues to be that there is a higher moral justice one must answer to. Your country, government, and institutions are not always right. Many historians argue this anti-war movement influenced the length and maybe the outcome of the Vietnam War. Others counter the protests were a reflection of a troubled society. One thing is certain however; the anti-war movement left a mark on me personally and this was one of the defining moments of my generation.

The argument I am trying to make is not the merit of my personal decision but rather the importance of expressing your beliefs. You must stand up for your values! As university students, understand the power you possess for change.

I have a secret to tell you now. My generation has left you a planet that needs to be fixed. You more than any other group can inspire and create change. This is the challenge for your generation. Never ever, ever give up! Understand that fundamental change can occur against seemingly insurmountable odds.

Ken Rabb

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Universities CA graduates have attended 2004-2008North America

Univ. of Arizona (3)Art Institute of Toronto, CanadaAuburn Univ.Babson College (2)Barnard College (2)Bentley College (2)Berkeley College of NYCBerklee College of Music (2)Boise State Univ.Boston Univ. (2)Boston ConservatoryUniv. of British Columbia,

Canada (4) Brown Univ.Bucknell Univ. (2)Univ. of Calgary, CanadaUniv. of California, BerkeleyUniv. of California, DavisUniv. of California, Santa CruzCalifornia College of the ArtsCalifornia Lutheran Univ.California State U. Long BeachCalifornia State U. NorthridgeCarleton College (2)Canadore CollegeCarnegie Mellon Univ. (4)Cedarville Univ. Colby CollegeColumbia Univ. (2)Cornell Univ. (2)Dalhousie Univ.Davidson CollegeDominican Univ. (2)Eastern Washington Univ. Emerson CollegeEmily Carr Inst. of Art & Design,

CanadaUniv. of EvansvilleFashion Inst. of Design & Merch.

Fordham Univ. (2)George Mason Univ. (2)George Washington Univ.Gustavus Adolphus CollegeUniv. of HawaiiHunter College of the CUNYUniv. of IllinoisIllinois State Univ.Univ. of IowaJohns Hopkins Univ.Lake Forest CollegeManhattanville CollegeMarietta CollegeMarymount Manhattan CollegeMcGill Univ., Canada (3)McMaster Univ., CanadaMiami Univ.Univ. of Michigan (5)Michigan State Univ.Univ. of Minnesota (2)Mohawk College of Applied Arts

& Technology, CanadaMount Allison Univ., Canada (2)Mount Holyoke CollegeUniv. of Nevada, RenoNew York Univ. (6)Northeastern Univ. (3)Northwestern Univ. (3)Oberlin CollegeOccidental CollegeOhio State Univ.Univ. of Oregon (3)Pace Univ. (2)Parson’s School of Design (3)Pennsylvania State Univ. (7)Univ. of PittsburghPratt InstitutePurchase CollegePurdue Univ. (3)Queen’s Univ., Canada

Rochester Institute of TechnologySarah Lawrence CollegeUniv. of San Francisco San Francisco State Univ.Santa Monica CollegeSchool of Visual ArtsSmith CollegeSoka Univ. of America (2)Univ. of Southern California (5)St. Bonaventure Univ.St. Mary’s College of MarylandStanford Univ. (2)Stony Brook Univ.Suffolk Univ. (2)Syracuse Univ.Temple Univ.Univ. of Toronto, Canada (4)Trinity International Univ.Tufts Univ. (2)Vassar College (2)Univ. of VirginiaWake Forest Univ. (3)Univ. of Washington (2)Washington and Lee Univ.Washington Univ. in St. Louis (2)Univ. of Waterloo, Canada (3)Wesleyan Univ. (2)Univ. of Western Ontario,

Canada (2)Univ. of WisconsinWhitman CollegeWhittier CollegeWord of Life Bible InstituteYork Univ., Canada South AmericaConservatório Musical Souza

Lima, Brazil AsiaDoshisha Univ., Japan

Int’l Christian Univ., Japan (2)Kansai Univ., JapanKwansei Gakuin Univ., JapanKyoto Bunkyo Univ., JapanKyoto Seika Univ., JapanLady Shri Ram College, IndiaSophia Univ., Japan (8)Waseda Univ., Japan (10) AustraliaUniv. of MelbourneMonash Univ.Univ. of QueenslandQueensland Univ. of Technology EuropeUniv. of the Arts London, UKAston Univ., UKCentral St. Martins College of

Art & Design, UKUniv. College for the Creative

Arts, UKHochschule fuer Musik,

SwitzerlandImperial College of Science,

Technology and Medicine, UKUniversität Karlsruhe, Germany King’s College London, UK (3)The London Inst. of Art &

Design, UKLoughborough Univ., UKUniv. of Manchester, UKOxford Univ., UKRoyal Holloway, Univ. of

London, UKSt. Andrews Univ., UKSurrey Institute of Art & Design,

UKThames Valley Univ., UKVienna Univ., Austria

International BaccalaureateThe aim of all IB programs is to develop internationally minded people who, recognizing their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better and more peaceful world.

International Baccalaureate learners strive to be:Inquirers They develop their natural curiosity. They acquire the skills necessary to conduct inquiry and research and show

independence in learning. They actively enjoy learning and this love of learning will be sustained throughout their lives. Knowledgeable They explore concepts, ideas and issues that have local and global significance. In so doing, they acquire in-depth

knowledge and develop understanding across a broad and balanced range of disciplines. Thinkers They exercise initiative in applying thinking skills critically and creatively to recognize and approach complex problems,

and make reasoned, ethical decisions. Communicators They understand and express ideas and information confidently and creatively in more than one language and in a

variety of modes of communication. They work effectively and willingly in collaboration with others. Principled They act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness, justice and respect for the dignity of the individual,

groups and communities. They take responsibility for their own actions and the consequences that accompany them. Open-minded They understand and appreciate their own cultures and personal histories, and are open to the perspectives, values and

traditions of other individuals and communities. They are accustomed to seeking and evaluating a range of points of view, and are willing to grow from the experience.

Caring They show empathy, compassion and respect towards the needs and feelings of others. They have a personal commitment to service, and act to make a positive difference to the lives of others and to the environment.

Risk-takers They approach unfamiliar situations and uncertainty with courage and forethought, and have the independence of spirit to explore new roles, ideas and strategies. They are brave and articulate in defending their beliefs.

Balanced They understand the importance of intellectual, physical and emotional balance to achieve personal well-being for themselves and others.

Reflective They give thoughtful consideration to their own learning and experience. They are able to assess and understand their strengths and limitations in order to support their learning and personal development.

Canadian Academy is in the process of adopting the Middle Years Programme (MYP) and Primary Years Programme (PYP); the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme was adopted in 1980.

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The 1913 SocietyPatron (¥2,500,000 up to ¥9,999,999)Akane ’06, Mai ’07 and Yu ’10 LeeVidhan and Sujata Chaudhari, P

Associate (¥1,000,000 up to ¥ 2,499,999)AnonymousJulia ’10, Tyler ’12 and Joanna ’15 FukaeKaspar and Miho Kuyumgyan, PKobe International Medical FoundationThomas Gale, fFYuko ’02, Rika ’05 and Shuichi ’08 Narita

Trustee (¥500,000 up to ¥999,999)The Sono and Huang Families, P

Founder (¥100,000 up to ¥499,999 )Abbott Japan Co., Ltd.Aei-shing Kinoshita, PAndrew Hisashi Ishikawa Peterson ’09Bruce L. Downs ’64 Cezars KitchenChristian Johnson and Barbara Dugan, PDalia ’11 and Omar ’09 Ramadan, Imad and Rola Ramadan, PFord Motor Company, JapanHaruna Alice Fujita ’11 Ichiro ’75 and Grace Rao SekimitsuJinyoomi Lee, PKiran Sethi ’83, PKouzo and Nariko ’83 Hirai, PLisa Inui ’92Mika Fujimoto, PNewton and Susan Crenshaw, PNisaburo and Yoriko Setoguchi, PRavi and Vitti Chaturvedi, PRichard and Kate ’67 Brueggemann, P Sandra Ota, FShakil and Sae Ohara, PThe Kassamali Family, F, PThe Mosser Family, FTomkins Corporation FoundationTomo Nishizawa ’08*Walter ’80 and Sui Yuan ChangYon Bong and Jinyoomi Lee, PYoshikuni and Tomoko Shibata, P, Sayo ’16 and Kana ’19 ShibataYui Nishizawa ’05*

Maya (¥50,000 up to ¥99,999 )AnonymousBijan and Delia Khosrowshahi, PBrian and Margaret Harris, P Charles and Yuriko Kite, F, P Charles Hill ’93Juan Carlos Gómez and María-Luisa Diez, PJun and Eiko Sato, PMarie Schneider, FMark Ashida ’73 Motoko Taniguchi Deane ’67 Patrick and Maryanne O’Malley, PSher Zaman and Romana Lodhi, PThe Nolasco Family, PToshiaki and Kazuyo Tasaki

Red & Grey (¥10,000 up to ¥49,999)Anonymous (3)Akihiro Ueda, PAlan and Emi Flynn, fFAlejandro and Maria Angelica Arenzana Lopez, PAnne and Frank Nicastro, PAvis Beek and Joe Monks, F, P Ben Shaman, PBill and Kaoru White, F, PBrian McEwen and Melanie Vrba, F, PCAF AmericaCol. Kenneth E. Moorhead ’66 DANIEL David and Faith Wicklund, fFDeborah Sanders Krause ’89Deedee and Roque Bautista, P, Maria Angelina ’18, Ricardo ’15, Raul

Francisco ’12, and Roberto Miguel ’10Donna Tatsuki, PDr. Joan A. Englehart, fFEla Ghadimi ’72, FElon Simon ’82Franklin and Martha Kuhlman, fFFred and Amy Wesson, F, PFred ’62 and Tazuko Alsdorf, F, PGeiger-Handl Family, PGeorge E. Barantseff ’59Gerad and Rhonda Carrier, F, PGopal and Sonia Bhasin, PHolly Derbyshire, FIn honor of Mrs. Fisher and Mr. Ferguson, FIna Soldanenco, PJames, Susanne and Maia Lindop ’22, F, PJerome Fugami, F, PJohn ’69 and Lanet CunninghamJohn and Susan Oswalt, PJoseph M. Gani ’Pre-warKaito Okamoto-Garson ’15Karin Przygocki, FKevin and Yuko Chambers, FKumiko Matsumara Suzuki ’78, PLeela Devavaram, FLorne and Nancy Tweed, PMike McHugh, FMiyuki Miyaji, F (continued, p. 5)

KEY* Young Alumni Donors at Founder Level6th through 10th Reunion Years ¥10,000 to ¥50,0001st through 5th Reunion Years ¥2,500 to ¥ 10,000P-ParentsF-FacultyfF-Former Faculty

Annual Report 2007-2008

Donations from July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2008Last year, Canadian Academy received ¥43,228,541 in donations ranging from ¥1,000 to ¥6,000,000 from 170 donors

$1 million dollar donation Akane ’06, Mai ’07, and Yu ‘10 Lee donate ¥100,000,000 over the next ten years

$10,000 securities transferAnonymous alumnus donates ¥1,000,000 in the form of transferred securities

100% giving from Board of Trustees¥5,201,000 in total cash donations

Credit card giving onlineEstablished in 2007, credit card donations via the Canadian Academy website accounted for 10% of all donations

Thank you to our 2007-2008 Donors

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ANNUAL REPORT 2007-2008, continued

Scholarship Fund ¥1,220,957Annual Fund (unrestricted) ¥6,466,206Restricted Gifts ¥3,050,000Averbeck Memorial Music Fund ¥139,000Early Learning and Activities Center ¥31,952,378ELAC Donor name recognition gifts: ¥10,740,000 from 42 individuals in 2007-2008: names of all past years’ ELAC donors of ¥100,000 or more are acknowledged on donor plaques mounted at the new facilityMatching Gifts ¥300,000 (credited to the donor)

Donations received but not included in our fund-raising total:•Class of 2008: ¥286,799 toward landscaping the new Tea Ceremony garden•Gifts in Kind and Services: ¥4,856,027 including works of art, specialty foods for fundraisers, discounted fees on services, graduation flowers, and a flat screen TV. Thank you to:

Neil Griffiths and Ann Peterson, F, PNorikazu and Kasumi Kuwahara, F, PPaul Wagenaar and Karen Jewett, F, PRob and Kazuko Smailes, FRobert Hengal, FRobin and Joy Thomas, FSam and Cathy Murata, PSerge and Kuni Labrecque, F, PShraddha Nayak, F, PStephen Hryncewicz, F, PSuzanne Ninomiya Hough ’37 Svein Tyldum ’77Sweet Her Ryo, fFT. T. Chen ’68 The Arora Family, PThe Qua Hiansen Family, PTim ’83 and Valentina ShimizuTomoko Ebisu, PToyoko Miller, F, PToyotaro and Elizabeth Kitamura, PVelazquez Family, PWilliam and Ann Moore, PYoko Chiba, FYoshihiko and Martell Miki, PYoshiko and Hideo Tanaka, PYoshiyuki Shirai, FYuka Watanabe, FYuki Sugimura Robinson ’85

Falcons (up to ¥9,999)Anonymous (2)Cordell Caudron ’60David and Sumiko Harris, F, PDenise McArtin-Lewis ’80Ellen Cary Bearn ’73, F Emi Go ’87, fFEmi Yonekura, FGordon Sakaue ’68Jason and Shannon McCary, FJune Turner ’65 Kurtis Lucas, F, PMarie Beaupre, FMonks Family, F, PPhilippe EymardRon and Priscilla Tougas, fFThe Vests, F, PTodd and Kirsten Welbes, F, PWilliam Figoni, P

ACCJ, KansaiBrian and Margaret Harris Chris ChristieConsulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands at Osaka-

KobeDavis, Polk and WardwellDouglas and Sayuki Schafer GropenHiroaki and Kayoko Nakamura Kobe Bay Sheraton Hotel and TowersKobe ClubKouzo and Nariko Hirai ’83Masoud and Nahid Sobhani Michihiko and Tae NakamuraMorgan O’Hara ’59NestléPrice ClubSuresh and Noriko Lal Takenaka CorporationThierry Wauquier Wolfgang and Cyd Spanring-Forster Yoshiaki and Kiyoko Narita Yoshiko Moriyama

•Corporate Contribution PlanNestléP&GDEBS CorporationShin Caterpillar MitsubishiEli Lilly

•Hyogo Prefecture, Kobe City, US Department of State•PTA ¥4,700,000Special Projects ¥1,200,000

• Sunken hearth for the new Tea Ceremony Room• BenQ MP511 projectors (6) for classrooms• Dance Dance Revolution supplies to support PE and IB curriculum • Portable basketball units (4) for ELAC and ES school students• Recycling carts (2)• Wenger Boxes (6) for the Fine and Performing Arts program

Annual Sources of DonationTotal: ¥43,228,541

Parents¥13,137,295

Trustees¥5,201,000

Others¥19,031,242

Alumni¥2,166,352

Faculty¥3,673,252

Annual ParticipationTotal: 170 Donors

53 Parents(31%)

50 Faculty(30%)

9 Trustees(5%)

27 Others(16%)

31 Alumni(18%)

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2007-2008 Board of TrusteesBen Shaman, ChairRick Brueggemann, Vice Chair,

TreasurerDonna Tatsuki, SecretaryWilliam Moore, Council ChairNariko Hirai ’83Fred Wesson, HeadmasterVidhan ChaudhariBrian HarrisImad Ramadan

2007-2008 Council (including Board members)

William Moore, Council ChairKate Brueggemann ’67Sujata Chaudhari Jill Fukae Michael Grubel Lisa Qua Hiansen Mary Javeri Chuck Kite Ana-Maria Leonhardt Kenji Terashima Christine Vos Julia Warner

PTA Annual Lasting Gift ¥3,500,000Improvements to the common spaces of the main building atrium and cafeteria designed and planned with the assistance of parent volunteer Delia Khosrowshahi, Assistant Headmaster, Chuck Kite, and the Campus Beautification Committee.

Thank you to PTA Food and FUN Fair Raffle DonorsAU LIMO French BistroCezars KitchenCrowne Plaza KobeEli Lilly Japan, K. K.Estate WinesForeign Buyers’ ClubHakuba Hotel TERRYHilton OsakaHyatt Regency OsakaIndo MuraKaspar Pearl Co., Ltd.Kobe Bay Sheraton Hotel and TowersKobe Coral CompanyKokuyo Office System Co., Ltd.Labo Pianta Co., Ltd.Mr. KawakatsuNestlé Japan Ltd.OZ TravelP&G Japan, K.K.Persian PalacePlanners International, Ltd.Price ClubRaja RestaurantSauer-Danfoss-Daikin Ltd.Shioya Tochi Co., Ltd.Takenaka CorporationTasaki PearlThai Airways International PCLThe Fukuda FamilyThe Ritz-Carlton Hotel

PTA Executive BoardMasoud Sobhani, PresidentCora Nolasco, 1st Vice PresidentLinda Harrell, 2nd Vice PresidentMary VanDenAvond, TreasurerManisha Ramani, SecretaryCathy Murata, Communications

Standing Committee Board MembersCyd Spanring-Forster, Volunteer Coordinator, FBC FundraiserIzumi Komori, HospitalityCora Nolasco, Sayonara SaleIngrid Handl Geiger, Teacher AppreciationYoko Fernades, New Teacher WelcomeDeedee Bautista, Hanhee Yun Kim, Bo Lee, Welcome Back BarbequeKayoko Nakamura, Sports DayBea Agnir, New Parent OrientationDelia Mary Khosrowshahi, ES CoordinatorJulia Warner, MS/HS Coordinator

Faculty Representative Board MembersLauren Pollock, ESBT Toews, MSRhonda Carrier, HS

Leadership Team Representative Board MemberJon Schatzky, Assistant Elementary School Principal

The Canadian Academy Board of Trustees approved the charter and re-established the Advancement Committee in 2007 as a link to the broader community. The charge of the Advancement Committee is to support the mission of the school through instilling the spirit of giving to the school seeking alternative means of income other than tuition.

2007-2008 Advancement CommitteeKiran Sethi ’83, ChairRick Brueggemann, Vice ChairFred Wesson, HeadmasterAmy Wesson, SecretaryRavi ChaturvediNewt CrenshawMohan Gulrajani ’83Chris JohnsonDanny Russel

•ServiceCanadian Academy students lead our community in support of international organizations including Habitat for Humanity, Dream Project, Hope International, and, foremost, the Thai Village Children’s Project. The middle school raised ¥1,031,385 of the ¥1,800,000 total funds to enable 300 Thai students continue their secondary school education.More locally, Canadian Academy students dedicated their time and efforts to community service programs such as the Kobe Charity Festival, Empty Rice Bowl project, KISS book drive, Nippon TV’s “24-Hour Television”, Soccer Match for Hope, Kobe International Exchange Fair, and the Kobe Environmental Festival. Another highlight of the 2007-2008 year is expansion of our recycling program from what had been a middle school club. Led by students from the National Honor Society (NHS), Middle School Ecology Club (MS ECO Club) and the Elementary School Leadership Club, the recycling program is now a school-wide initiative, making significant contributions to the economic and environmental health of our community.

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’04 -’05 ’05 -’06 ’06 -’07 ’07-’08

Number of donations¥100,000 - ¥9,999,999

10

20

30

40

’04 -’05

20

180

160

140

120

100

80

60

40

’05 -’06 ’06 -’07 ’07-’08

Number of Donors

Annual Fund DonationTotals

’04 -’05 ’05 -’06 ’06 -’07 ’07-’08

¥50,000,000

¥40,000,000

¥30,000,000

¥20,000,000

¥10,000,000¥5,000,000

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On Sunday, July 13, 2008, I conducted the National Symphony Orchestra of Peru with two of my children as soloists. My son Claudio played the bandoneón and my daughter Pierina played the harp in a special number “Concerto for Bandoneón, Harp, Strings and Percussion.” The program:

• Antiche Danze ed Arie per Liuto, Suite No. III, Ottorino Respighi

• Concerto for Bandoneon, Harp, Strings and Percussion, Astor Piazzolla

Soloists: Claudio Constantini, Bandoneón; Pierina Constantini, Harp

• Symphony No. 1, The Spring, Robert SchumannThe theater was absolutely full and the performance was a

great success. As you can imagine, this performance was very emotional for me since —including myself— three members of the Constantini family performed together at the same time. I can’t describe with words the feelings I had while conducting my own children!

Editor’s note: Readers might like to note that they can enjoy a very large selection of bandoneón music by Claudio Constantini on YouTube.

Summer for Ms. Constantini, CA’s orchestra director

Carlota, Pierina, and Claudio Constantini

New Board MembersCanadian Academy welcomes Mr. Fritz Leonhardt and Mr. Charanbir Sarao to the Board of Trustees and thanks them for their outstanding dedication and service to our school and community.

Mr. Fritz LeonhardtGrowing up in Kobe, Mr. Leonhardt attended first St. Michael’s International School and graduated from Marist Brothers International School in 1956. His wife Ana Maria is a member of the CA Class of 1958.

The Leonhardt’s daughter Johanna graduated from CA in 1982 and their son Ronald, in 1983.

Mr. Leonhardt has been active in the business community in Kobe since 1962 and currently serves as an auditor for Impex Chemicals, Ltd. Moreover, Mr. Leonhardt has served the local community in these positions: Kobe Club (President 1999-2005), Kobe International Medical Foundation (Chairman 1996-2002), Kobe Golf Club (Board of Directors), Kobe Kaisei Hospital (Board of Directors), Kobe Regatta & Athletic Club (past Vice-President), St. Michael’s International School (Chairperson of Council 2000-2001), and Marist Brothers International School (Chairperson 2004-present).

Mr. Charanbir SaraoI have been a life-long (almost) employee of Nestlé—which is a Swiss company and also the world’s largest food and beverage company.

After completing my Masters degree in Management from the Indian Institute of Management in 1976, I worked briefly for Ranbaxy

Laboratories Ltd. in New Delhi—which incidentally has now a strong Japanese connection since its acquisition by Daiichi Sankyo Pharmaceuticals—before joining Nestlé India in 1978 as a Factory Controller. Since then my career with Nestlé has taken me through various experiences and countries. After a short stint with Nestlé in Malaysia, I returned to India to become CFO of the Nestlé business there. Eventually the need to expand my experiences saw me leave India again in 1995 to work in various capacities with Nestlé in Indonesia, the headquarters in Switzerland, the Philippines and finally, in 2005, to my current job as CFO for Nestlé Japan.

We enjoy our time in Japan—my wife Seema is the administrator at the Community House and Information Centre (better known by its acronym CHIC) on Rokko Island while our youngest daughter, Amara, studies at Canadian Academy in Grade 2. Two older daughters Rifq and Maya have already flown the coop. Having just finished university, they are beginning their own professional careers in the performing arts in India and the UK.

Our time in Japan—the little that the job allows—is spent in traveling—all based on Seema’s wonderful insights and experiences from her time at CHIC—and also pursuing a little bit of bridge and golf—not to forget the evenings spent with the Finance Committee and now the Board of Trustees of the school!

With the departure of Fred Alsdorf ’62 as CA’s Director of Alumni Relations, Canadian Academy is very happy to announce the appointment of Mr. Robert Z. Hengal to this pivotal role.

As many of our readers are aware, Mr. Hengal has been teaching at CA for over 30 years; he is, thus, the ideal candidate—someone with a long-term relationship with students, alumni, and the CA community.

Please join us in welcoming him as the new Director of Alumni Relations.

It all started with a phone call in July 1976 from the Canadian Academy Headmaster Don Ballantine who was looking for a German/ESL teacher—not an easy combination to find. Thinking that it might be fun to spend a year in Japan (after spending time in Germany and Australia), I quickly agreed to join the staff at an international school in a city I had never heard of before. That one year turned into 32 and counting. What a 32 years it has been—from the old campus at Nagamine-dai to Rokko Island, from typhoons to the Great Hanshin Earthquake—it has been and continues to be an exciting adventure. I am looking forward to the new challenge of being Director of Alumni Relations and to the opportunity to meet up again with former graduates and students of Canadian Academy. Dozo Yoroshiku Onegaishimasu!

Meet, greet Mr. HengalCA’s new Director of Alumni Relations

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It never ceases to amaze me when I hear people talk about the ability to sing as if it is an either/or scenario—you are either naturally blessed with the gift of using your voice to make music, or you will never have a prayer at making it happen. There are actually two things that bother me about this viewpoint: one, of course, is the idea that anyone would jump to such an uninformed conclusion in the first place; the other is the illusion it creates that sounding “good” and impressing people should be the primary focus of singing. Now, in all fairness, the average person cannot be blamed for what the world media has turned singing into, which is essentially a big contest—a circus made up of “superstars,” “up-and-comers,” “has-beens,” “never-will-be’s,” and “never-shoulda-trieds,” to borrow a few labels. The humiliation of being made a laughingstock is not something that most people easily recover from, particularly when the laughter is directed at such a core element of our collective being as the simple, sincere desire to express ourselves. Given that, it could hardly come as a surprise when people refuse to risk exposure to such ridicule, choosing to find comfort in the notion that “some just can, some just can’t”.

I have spent my whole life singing. I have chosen to teach vocal music for a living. Obviously, I’ve had both occasion and motivation to devote some thought to the matter, and it has left me with this basic philosophy: anyone can learn to sing—and impressing other people shouldn’t be the motivating factor behind wanting to learn. Now, I can already hear in my mind the many people who will read this and reflexively retort, “Sure, that’s easy for HIM to say—he already gets how it all works.” To that, I have two responses: a) yeah, I wish; and b) even if that were true, no one comes by new knowledge or skills solely by wishing for them. Singing is in part a talent, true; but for some reason, the concept of vocal music as a discipline seems to escape many of us. The study of singing, as with so many other fields, is one of finding—and pushing past—personal boundaries. There is a strong probability that I will not be achieving any Herculean feats in the arenas of chemistry or basketball in my lifetime, even with hours upon hours of study, trial and error from this point on; but one thing is practically guaranteed: the more I work at it, the better I will understand it. And hopefully, if I approach singing with the right mindset to begin with (translation: don’t make the focus about impressing or “beating” anyone), I can walk away from the experience feeling enriched by what I learned, better about myself for having taken the initiative in the first place, and motivated to learn more.

But then, what’s the point really? Why step outside the safety of our comfort zone in the first place? Why sing? Other than passing time and causing general embarrassment, what function does singing really serve in most of our lives? Well, that depends on who you are. There have been studies indicating that simple singing, free of value standards and judgments, can promote our sense of physical, mental, and emotional well-being, allowing older people to live longer, healthier, more enriched lives, helping patients with advanced stages of Alzheimer’s disease to access certain memories that are otherwise lost to them, and boosting overall immune system response in the rest of us. Other research points to the potential for faster language development in young children who sing in the language to be acquired. Even putting science aside for a moment, it’s hard to debate the fact that when a group of people can come together and sing in a comfortable, supportive atmosphere (all you karaoke fans know what I mean), there is a tremendous amount of potential for stress release. Moreover, in this era of fiber-optic technology and web-chatting, it’s nice to know that there are still some outlets for our need to connect with others—to work together, face-to-face, shoulder-to-shoulder, in the pursuit of creating something wholly ours, right in the moment.

From an educational standpoint, too, a choral program offers children a much different but still hugely important set of rewards. When structured well, a course of study in vocal music and performance (as with so many other art forms) will demand the engagement of a range of intelligences simultaneously, such as: visual-spatial intelligence

Why we sing By Michael W. McHughMiddle School/High School Vocal Music Director

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to interpret the positioning of notes and rhythms on paper; aural intelligence to translate notes into the correct pitches to be produced, as well as blend and create harmony with your fellow singers; kinesthetic intelligence to coordinate all the body systems necessary to keep a steady internal beat, hold an open and stable tone, and produce the required musical effects (volume changes, darkness and brightness of sound, etc.); linguistic intelligence to accurately represent the poetry—and sometimes foreign language—that is an integral part of vocal music; and interpersonal intelligence to guide the facial and body posturing that accentuates the message of the music to an audience. Additionally, there is evidence emerging from the field of educational psychology that indicates the potential for accelerated learning capacity in children (and adults, for that matter) when they a) immediately and actively apply

knowledge they have gained, and b) work collaboratively when they do so.

And just how exactly does that all relate to real life? Well, just ask any potential employer about the benefits of having a command of your own voice, or of being able to read other people’s faces and voice patterns and adjust your body language and facial expressions accordingly, or having an understanding of how to “present” yourself, showcasing your strengths and muting your shortcomings. And speaking of employment, as difficult as it might be to believe, there are actually a multitude of very sustainable careers connected with vocal music—most involving little to no singing in front of large audiences. Besides the most obvious example

of education, there are opportunities in recording, production, talent management, composition/arranging, and ethnomusicology (don’t laugh, it’s a real field). And even if vocal performance is indeed the direction a young person may choose to go, one need not be a “superstar” to enjoy a comfortable lifestyle. Regional theater and international theme parks might not seem like much, but a good number of the people I met during my performing years from those walks will make far more in one year’s work than the average professional educator.

When all is said and done, singing is an endeavor that is at once mathematical and scientific, linguistic and historical, cultural and creative, communicative and collaborative, emotional, psychological and physical. Any qualified vocal music teacher could fill up hours and volumes (Some actually have!) explaining and discussing these different aspects, and how music both serves and is served by them. Whatever your particular interests, though, there is always an angle from which an appreciation can be gained of the simple act of singing; one need only do it to find it. And possibly the most compelling factor of all: singing helps us feel. It has the power to prop us up during bad times, and help us celebrate good times. It reminds us that we are alive—it makes us constantly aware of both our humanity and our immortality. Singing is as old as civilization, as old as mankind, as old as life on our planet. When all is said and done, the question should be: why not sing?

A word about Canadian Academy’s music curriculum: CA’s music curriculum is built on a foundation of process, practice and performance. From their first year at school here—even as young as kindergarten—students are immersed in a program that helps to channel their natural curiosity about the world around them, and gain a better understanding of their own human potential, all through the exploration and application of music. In elementary school, students are taught the basic principles of meter, rhythm and pitch, as well as how to manipulate musical instruments and objects and gain a control over their own voices. In their transitional 6th grade year, students engage in a rotational program that provides them with the skills necessary to begin to master instruments of their own choosing, and use their voices in a more focused and coordinated fashion. In the upper middle school groups, students are exposed to challenging works that both sharpen their skills and acquaint them with the rich history and multiple cultures represented by music. And lastly, in high school, students are provided with the opportunities to begin to take charge of their own musicianship, and become the ardent musical performers and supporters that will help shape the future of cultures around the world.

References for the above article can be found at the bottom of page 14

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The CA ExperienceCanadian Academy has been synonymous to our life in Kobe. From the time we arrived in Kobe in 1995, we had a very good ocular view of the school’s facilities as a starting point of our then 3-year-old son Bobby. He started the next year in Kindergarten A, followed by Sonny two years later. Having our two young boys in CA was a welcome development for us. Both boys enjoyed their early years in KA and KB. They had terrific teachers. As both progressed on, Ricky enrolled four years later, then Maria in 2000. All our children are products of CA and we are proud to have been part of the school community!

Canadian Academy is not only known for being an international school, but as the premier international school in this part of Japan! CA has produced many successful graduates who have gone onwards to prestigious universities internationally and become successful in their respective fields. We can surmise that the reason for this is the dedication and professionalism of CA teachers and staff. All the teachers, we can say, have had a great influence on the future plans of our children. The subjects they taught and the skills they trained our kids in have made them better prepared for future challenges. Our children often told us that their subject load was too much, but thanks to this training, they are no longer intimidated by large amounts of work!

Over the years, we have seen CA transform into a world-class educational institution that we are proud to be part of. Two of our boys are currently enjoying their school year at CA and our eldest son and daughter are doing well at their new schools overseas. We feel that a major portion of the credit goes to the type of education they gained at CA, as well as the great teachers and staff. Our kids are growing into good young people thanks to CA!

The Bautista Family

The Bautista Family

CA says good-bye to retiring staffMrs. Sweet-Her Ryo — 22 yearsMrs. Sweet-Her Ryo, Elementary School assistant, retired in August 2008 after twenty-two years of service to Canadian Academy. Mrs. Ryo began her career at the Nagamine-dai CA campus during the 1985-1986 school year with kindergarten teacher Mrs. Kay Koop.

During her years at CA, Mrs. Ryo was a kindergarten assistant for ten different teachers, helping to teach a generation of students how to read, count, and develop both academic and social independence. In addition to all of her classroom duties, Mrs. Ryo also assisted with summer school each year and monitored a daily bus route once CA moved to Rokko Island.

Born in Kobe to a family of Chinese descent, Mrs. Ryo was educated at Stella-Marist Girls School in Kobe. Little did she realize that her education at an English-based school would lead to her becoming an educator in an international school.

Mrs. Ryo was the type of employee that all schools hope to offer to their students. Few teachers could match her energy level and few ever saw Mrs. Ryo not busy with a task or student. Her sense of humor and pure love of children made her a much-loved member of the elementary school staff. She was also a wealth of support for expatriate teachers recently arrived in Japan and trying to adjust to life in a new country.

Mrs. Ryo’s granddaughter was born in 2004 and a grandson arrived in 2006. Retirement will find Mrs. Ryo enjoying her grandchildren and taking time to do a bit of traveling. The CA kindergarten will certainly miss Mrs. Ryo’s years of experience, but we wish her all the best for a happy and healthy retirement.

By Lauren Pollock, Kindergarten teacher ’04-’08

Mr. Fred Alsdorf ’62 — 32 yearsLeaving CA after having been a part of CA for six years as a student (graduating in 1962) and having worked here for the past thirty-two years is a lot like leaving home for the first time — I know I’m old enough, but is it really time?

Without a doubt, my life at CA has been a fascinating and rewarding journey, an odyssey in which students taught me perhaps more than I taught them. Fortunately, in the 21st century, distances don’t separate the way they once did. Thus, I look forward to staying in touch with and seeing many of you in the future!

While initially I bemoaned having to leave CA as I approached my sixty-fifth birthday, I now consider myself fortunate at having been handed the necessity and chance to try something totally new in my life.

To my colleagues and former students, it’s been a pleasure working with you and getting to know you. There have been days when I returned home thinking to myself what an honor it was to have known this student or that. Moreover, as any teacher who has taught for a decade or more can tell you: it is not just the “good” students who occupy a unique spot in the hearts of genuine educators the world over. Often that special student is the “problem child” —the one you feared might never make it— who metamorphoses into a compassionate and wise human being as an adult.

Thank you, CA, and thank you, students and colleagues for a great thirty-two years! To all alumni* of the “school of grey ’neath Maya-san” — best of luck and lots of happiness… till we meet again.

*The CA definition of ”alumni”: “Any former student, faculty or staff member, or Board of Trustee or Council member of Canadian Academy who has spent at least one semester affiliated with the school and left in good standing is considered a member of our alumni community.”

Email we’d like to share

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For several years, CA middle school students have been holding exchange visits with Yusei Yogo School for disabled children in Kobe. Whether it be day visits to CA, organized by Ms. Midori Nishizawa, the CA Service Coordinator, or music performances led by Mr. George Vest, our Band teacher, all students involved foster new and lasting friendships. It was through this community service program that the world of a very special Liberian girl first intersected with the Canadian Academy community.

In 2003, as a ten-year-old school girl with great potential, Martha Turkett, left her parents in her remote village in Liberia to continue her studies in the capital of Monrovia. While away from her family, civil war erupted in Liberia. Rebel groups besieged Monrovia resulting in the deaths of thousands of civilians and the displacement of many more. Martha was forced into refugee camps in Sierra Leone, Mali, Burkina Faso and ultimately Ghana. It was there that Martha was a victim of a violent attack that left her paralyzed from the waist down. She eventually returned to Monrovia to a Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) hospital where the bedridden Martha was treated for malnutrition, chronic bedsores, and severe microbial infections.

Despite her condition, when a nurse from Kobe working with MSF, Tomoko Miki, met Martha in January 2005, her face shone with that now familiar smile. Tomoko marveled at the girl’s natural optimism and enthusiasm. Martha regained her physical strength and was soon using a wheelchair to navigate the hospital corridors. Before long, she was known around the hospital as a “special girl” sharing her talents as a Liberian/English translator while offering support and companionship to other patients. While under Tomoko’s care, a strong bond grew between the two and soon they were inseparable.

Some months after their initial meeting, Martha was discharged from the hospital and returned to her village. Tomoko’s final visit with Martha revealed she was suffering from malaria and unable to use her wheelchair on the dirt tracks in the village. The village lacked electricity, running water and the necessary medical services that Martha required. Tomoko made the decision to bring Martha back to Japan for medical treatment to deal with her injuries. Through a network of supporters at the Japanese foreign ministry and St. Luke’s Hospital in Tokyo, Martha arrived in Japan with Tomoko by her side in April 2006. Sadly, it was revealed Martha’s injuries were more extensive than originally believed. Surgery was postponed for six months so she could regain her strength.

Martha and Tomoko settled into life in Kobe. Martha was invited to attend Yusei Yogo School, a most generous offer by the School to accept a foreign child with no Japanese language skills. Having maintained her passion for her studies, she learned katakana and hiragana and within months learned Japanese. Martha greatly enjoyed the exchange visits with CA, winning the hearts of our middle schoolers with her enthusiasm, friendliness, and once again, that winning smile.

The Middle School Principal, Mr. Michael Colaianni, invited Martha to attend morning classes at CA when her rehabilitation schedule permitted. Beginning in 2008, she attended art, music, humanities, science and math classes and came on our school field trips. Her teachers immediately recognized Martha as a determined and highly capable student who loved books and mathematics. She even made presentations about her experiences to the Japanese classes in Japanese, greatly impressing Nishizawa-sensei with her gift for fluency and sensitivity to the cultural nuances of the language after less than two years of living

in Japan. Soon Martha was a familiar sight around CA, making her way to classes, chatting with teachers, and always surrounded by friends.

Seventh graders Kari Medalla and Georgia Sono worked alongside Martha in math class. They said, “She was really eager to learn math. She was just really curious and always wanted to learn.”

Natacha Rosa, also in seventh grade, recalls, “She taught us how we are lucky to have our parents and family, to have and education and good homes.”

Martha had made excellent progress in her physical rehabilitation and was ready to return to St. Luke’s hospital in Tokyo for surgery. Sadly for Martha, the final recommendation from her

doctors was that she wait until she was an adult to undergo the surgery when she would be in better physical condition. Although this was a disappointment, it seemed things were getting better when a new sponsor was found in Atlanta, Georgia, who could care for Martha and see to her medical and educational needs. Unfortunately, Martha’s excitement for her future dissolved into disappointment when this arrangement fell through. Her only alternative was to return to Liberia and an uncertain future.

In June of 2008, Martha bade farewell to Japan. Her Japanese medical visa was about to expire and her sponsor Tomoko was joining her fiancé in Germany, a physician she met through MSF. Martha was happy to return to her country and be with her family, yet there were so many unanswered questions about the quality of life she would have. Now, fifteen years of age, she hopes to travel abroad once again for the required surgery and post-secondary education. However, her short-term prospects in terms of rehabilitation, medical treatment and education are all unknown.

Although Liberia is entering a period of greater stability and re-building, social and economic restructuring will take many years. Since her departure, the CA community has had very little contact with Martha. A MSF nurse came to CA in June 2008 and reported that Martha had returned safely and was moving to a new home in Monrovia. At present, however, with very limited internet and telephone service in the country, we are unsure of her living situation.

A group of concerned and determined middle schoolers have been meeting to set up a plan of action to help their friend. By sharing her story, these students hope that the resources of our CA community can be pooled to improve her present situation and future prospects. A short book, スペシャル・ガール [Special Girl], has been written about Martha and is being sold to raise funds for Martha. It is also available for loan through the CA Library. Last year, the Student Body Council made a significant donation to Martha. A bank account has been set up to assist Martha with her medical and educational needs. If you or someone you know might be equipped to help Martha in any way, either through a charitable organization or scholarship program, we urge you to contact CA’s Service Coordinator, Ms. Midori Nishizawa at midorin[at]mail.canacad.ac.jp

Grade 7 student Lily Johnson explained the lasting effect this special girl had on our students. “She was like a teacher to us. She made such an impact. If she wants to make such a difference in her country [by becoming president of Liberia one day] then I think we should work to make a difference too.”

Middle Schoolers work to make a difference…By Avis Beek, science teacher

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In 2007, 114,026 pilgrims received a Compostela certificate of completion at the Cathedral of Santiago, Spain, having walked at least the last 100 kilometers (or bicycled 200 kilometers) of the Camino de Santiago. That is up from 15,863 who did so in 1994, when Shirley MacLaine walked 800 kilometers and wrote her book Camino, and from

2,491 in 1986. Women were 42% of the pilgrims, 41% were over the age of 45, 2,229 were from the U.S., and about one-half walked further than 500 kilometers.

Why did they make the pilgrimage?Well, since I just finished over 1,000 miles of walking the

pilgrimage in France and Spain in the last two years, you would think I would have THE answer. I don’t, but more on that later.

Pilgrims report their general reason for making the pilgrimage when they go to the Pilgrim Office in Santiago to receive the Compostela. The official three categories of motivation from which pilgrims must choose are Religious, Spiritual or Cultural, and Other. About 92% select the first two categories, so obviously there is more to the Camino than a good hike.

Millions have made the pilgrimage to the bones of Saint James since his alleged remains were miraculously discovered under a “Field of Stars” that appeared to a hermit in about 812 AD. The Apostle Saint James had set out to Spain to find converts after the crucifixion of Jesus. He was not particularly successful (tradition puts the number of converts at 9), and was beheaded by King Herod Agrippa on his return to Jerusalem, making him the first Apostle martyr. His remains with the head mysteriously reattached were spirited away by his supporters in a stone boat that had equally mysteriously appeared, and were re-interred in an unknown location in Galicia, Spain, where they awaited rediscovery 800 years later.

The discovery of the remains and their certification as authentic by the Bishop of Iria Flavia Theodomirus instantly created a new pilgrimage destination, and the huge influx of Christian pilgrims was a crucial factor in driving the Moors from Spain during the next centuries. Legend says that the saint descended from heaven to lead the successful Battle of Clavijo in 844 as Santiago Matamoros (St. James the Slayer of Moors) riding a white charger. St. James became the patron saint of Spain. During its heyday in the Middle Ages, the pilgrimage drew hundreds of thousands each year, year in and year out. By the 20th century, the number dwindled to a few thousand except for Jubilee years when the Birthday of St. James falls on a Sunday, and the main door to the Santiago Cathedral is opened for use by the hundreds of thousands that flock to Santiago for that occasion.

The descriptor Camino usually refers to the 496 miles of the Camino Frances (the French Way) from St. Jean Pied de Port, France to Santiago de Compostela, Spain. However, there are four routes in France and four major routes in Spain that lead to Santiago, too. Before modern transportation systems existed, pilgrims set out at their front door and traveled by foot, cart, horse, or donkey, and had to reach the Spanish border before they even began the route in Spain. Many continued past

Santiago a few days to Finisterre to reach the “end of the earth” on the Atlantic Ocean, and find a scallop shell, which has become the symbol of the pilgrimage, on the beach there. I met pilgrims who had walked over 2,000 kilometers from England, Belgium, and The Netherlands. Scallop shells are purchased now in tourist shops along the way. When you order Coquille St. Jacques in a restaurant, you invite a bit of the Camino into your life.

It bears remembering that the early pilgrim had to walk back to where he started, unlike the modern pilgrim who boards a bus, train, or airplane to return home.

Modern pilgrims have the luxury of ignoring the real hardships experienced by pilgrims of the middle ages like bandits, bad water, hunger, and disease, but that may be the only luxury they experience. Accommodations typically are in albergues (auberges) located 3 to 10 miles apart. A typical albergue sleeps 40 to 120 pilgrims in bunk beds, dormitory style with just enough showers and toilets for travelers possessing the patience to share limited coed facilities. The cost is 3-9€ per night. A bit more privacy is afforded in hostals, where a private room with bath will average 25€ per night. Earplugs are a necessity, if one is to block out the squeak of 120 beds as occupants roll over during the night, not to mention the snorers.

Meals normally are eaten in nearby bars and restaurants, though a breakfast of bread, butter, jam, and coffee may be available in the albergue. Many restaurants offer a “Pilgrim Menu” at lunch and supper for about 8€ (tax and tip included) that includes a first course of salad, soup, vegetables, or sundry other items; a second main course of beef, pork, fish, or chicken; bread; wine or water; and dessert. The quality ranges from ordinary to excellent with no discernible way to determine in advance which it will be. Many albergues have fully equipped kitchens for the pilgrim who wants to do his own cooking to keep expenses down. More limited meals also are available at bars, cafés, cafeterias, and mini-markets.

Any luxury ends when the six to ten hour walking day begins. Europeans walk fast, and so do some Americans, but I think it is accurate to estimate that an average pilgrim will cover 2 miles per hour including normal rest breaks.

Every day.For 33 to 35 days.Europeans often break the pilgrimage into two-week segments,

and complete it over several years of vacations. That is a pretty good idea if you do not have to buy an expensive plane ticket and/or do not have extended vacation time available. Non-Europeans tend to do the entire thing at one time. To start, St. Jean is convenient by train from the Biarritz airport, and by bus from Pamplona. Santiago airport has flights that connect worldwide at the end of the pilgrimage.

Even hikers who begin in reasonably good shape, have good boots that are well-worked in, and carry backpacks under 20 pounds, find that they must muster some grit during the first week of walking. Except for the meseta flatlands in the middle of Spain, the pilgrimage goes up and down many mountains and hills. In France the route specifically includes high points with vista views even when there is a more direct, flatter route to a particular destination. So by the eighth hour of the third day, leg muscles ache and feet hurt from the walking, knees and ankles throb from the constant pounding of the trail, back and side muscles ache from the backpack, arm muscles ache from the trekking poles, and groin muscles ache from the uphill and downhill sections. We won’t mention blisters, which will turn the other discomforts into a pure misery for even the grittiest of pilgrims. The muscle and joint pains diminish as the journey progresses, though, so I saw only a few pilgrims drop out along the way.

When you reach the albergue for the night, you still must marshal the strength to set up the bunk, do laundry, take a shower, and tend to feet and equipment. Spanish restaurants typically open around 8 P.M., so there is no rush to meet an early dinner hour, and there even may be time for a siesta while waiting for supper, but you do not just quit moving at the end of the walking day.

While an army is said to travel on its stomach, a pilgrim travels on his feet. I have seen countless feet with blisters so bad that I was amazed anyone could walk on them, yet the pilgrim would be out at dawn the next day limping along. The usual cause is boots that have not been properly broken in. Dozens of times I would hear, “I wore my boots for weeks before I started the Camino.” Unfortunately, hours around the living room is not the same as ten hours a day for five days on undulating trails with rain, mud, and rocks. Any pilgrim that has not

The way of Saint Jamesby Tom Hartman ’63

Editor’s note: The Alumni Office is always happy to hear from alumni and share your news. Below is a fascinating submission from an alumnus who graduated from CA 45 years ago.

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worn his boots for several hundred miles of weekend hiking and camping is starting with “new” boots and is subject to a high risk of blisters. Every guide for preparing for the Camino in every language says the same thing about breaking in your boots, but the advice must be falling on deaf ears. You need good socks, too. I love Thorlo socks used with a polypropylene liner sock, and a silicone foot lubricant. I cannot say I never have gotten a blister, but they have been rare.

Equipment is the second major woe of the pilgrim, usually having too much of it rather than actual bad equipment. A sleep sack is required for albergues, but not a sleeping bag. Find something very light. My homemade nylon sleep sack is less than 4 ounces. It provides about 10 degrees of warming, more than enough in the summer. Albergues provide blankets, so I add their blanket if it is cold. Flannel sleep sacks can be found at WalMart, and weigh perhaps 10 ounces. There is no excuse for carrying a four pound sleeping bag except ignorance. Ditto a sleeping mat. You are headed for a bunk bed with mattress and pillow each night. No one ever uses the sleeping mat he brings unless it is for a siesta in a vineyard.

No extra anything. They have bandages, toothpaste, soap, batteries, etc. in every village store. If you run out of something, you will be able to buy it. No one cares if you wear the same shirt and pants each day. Forget style and color coordination. Do not ask how much is enough; ask how little is enough. You will do laundry each day, so one change of clothes is enough. If you want to indulge in a third pair of socks to ensure having a dry pair, do so.

Showers in albergues are messy affairs with no area protected from the spray of the shower head, and usually a single hook for storage. A dry bag is necessary to hold towel and clothes, dirty and clean, during the shower, and footwear oblivious to water is useful in and out of the shower. I am a fan of Crocs. The routine is to carry the dry bag with soap, clean clothes, and towel to the shower; enter; strip, put everything into the dry bag and take out the soap; wash; retrieve

the towel from bag; dry; retrieve and don clean clothes; exit shower. All this is done in a space that may be as small as 3 feet by 3 feet and have a shower head that may be fixed on the wall or handheld with no way to fasten it to the wall. It is strange to my American experience to bathe this way, but it may be common to Europeans. Eventually, I found myself rating albergues by the quality of their showers, and I am prone to extol accommodations solely because of the shower.

Bottled water is everywhere, though the tap water in Spain and France is treated (except when it is specifically identified on the fountain “No Potable”). I use a hydration system with tube, but you could buy a bottle of water on your first day, and refill it for the rest of the trip leaving the heavy Nalgene bottle at home.

It will rain, sometimes a lot, so you need a pack cover and rain gear. I use a light weight Tyvek rain suit. It is cumbersome getting in and out, but the jacket doubles as my warm jacket. Most hikers use good quality ponchos, which double as the pack cover. The poncho allows an air circulation that my rain suit does not, but it allows the rain to drench your socks and boots. Add some gaiters, and the poncho appeals to me more. Umbrellas abound, but I use trekking poles, so until I grow a third arm, I won’t be using an umbrella. Poles reduce ankle and knee impact stress substantially, important for anyone over the age of 40, so I advocate them strongly.

When you ponder additional equipment, remember camera and charger, perhaps a cell phone for emergencies and its charger, a small notebook, a guidebook, and an eyeglass case. Forget the reading

material, the deck of cards, cooking equipment, tent, games, and even the lightweight iPod. After all, there are other pilgrims and all that scenery to keep you from being bored. I have the photo of pilgrim Jenna Bush with just a fanny pack and iPod, the Secret Service man carrying her pack. I do not want to be that type of pilgrim, but then my pilgrimage does not have to be yours. You choose, but choose wisely. A pack over 20 pounds has too much stuff.

I have covered for the Camino, what it is, where it is, and what you need, but reserved “why go?” for the end.

I have walked with pilgrims who stopped and prayed in each church and chapel, clearly motivated by Catholic religion. I walked with one who was celebrating his break with the addiction of cocaine. I have walked with several who were trying to cover the distance in record time, walking virtually non-stop from dawn to dusk, for them an athletic contest. There may not be 100,000 different reasons for 100,000 pilgrims, but everyone has an individual reason for starting. Upon completion, I think everyone has changed his mind on his purpose to some degree. It is not that expectations are unmet, but that expectations are seen as false to some degree.

I am not Catholic or even religious. I am not sure that I would even

describe myself as spiritual, though that adjective can cover a lot of territory, and I do love the ethereal connection of outdoors, people, and community, which is pretty spiritual. I walked across France first in 2006, from Le Puy en Velay to St. Jean Pied de Port, because my brother had walked Spain a year earlier and invited me, and my extremely limited French language skills, to walk the 450 miles that lead to where he had started. That is a long distance to walk, and I wanted “to know if I could do it.” Part of me bet against me right from the beginning! While I asked myself the “why” question each day, pretty soon I knew that the real question was whether I could do the next day. There was never any doubt in my mind each day that the answer was, “Yes, I can,” even on those days when physically I was drained. I eventually discovered that the core question was whether I could take the next step. I always could, and I will know for the rest of my life that I am always capable of one more step. My first pilgrimage took me from self-doubt about a physical challenge to a life philosophy. That really covers some distance.

After France my motivation was different. From pilgrims in France who had walked Spain, I heard regularly about a more spiritual nature for the Camino there, so I was curious how I might react differently. I did not approach the 450 miles the next year as a test of will power, but as an opportunity to participate in a 1,000 year-old common experience.

My brother and I returned in the summer of 2007 to walk across Spain from Pamplona to Santiago. I found the journey to be one with other pilgrims from around the world, a walk of a common experience of strangers, more than it was a walk amid the Spanish. I soaked up not only the scenery and history but fellowship as well. The magnificence of ceremony and architecture at the Santiago Cathedral was a perfect merging of the experiences I had shared with the people I met along the way, and with the millions who had preceded us.

This spring I felt like regaining some of the “spirit of the Camino” that I was losing, so I returned alone to walk again the last 200 miles of the Camino from Leon to Santiago. Since it takes about two weeks to get past the physically difficult part of long distance walking, I was finishing at about the same time I was reaching my pace. I knew in advance that would be the case, and so I had focused on the interaction with other pilgrims. On the first two pilgrimages, I never had the thought “two weeks down, three weeks to go.” I always was so consumed by the moment, that the next step, or the next stop, was as far I as I would think into the future. Past and future were not part of the equation. With just two weeks planned on this trip, I was aware that the end was near even at the start. It put me even more into the moment, the countryside, and my fellow pilgrims. It was very relaxing even when the moment might face a very steep hill to climb.

If I can have three different reasons and results on three different pilgrimages, I am certain that there can be as many Caminos as there are pilgrims. So the “Why?” is a mystery that must be explored by each pilgrim.

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By Tami Mizushima, Chado (Tea Ceremony) Coordinator/Teacher

Under the leadership of Mr. Jay Gluck, Chado, Tea Ceremony at Canadian Academy started almost thirty years ago as a class for parents, not students. Soon after this start, the PTA built a Tea Room attached to the library and some students began studying Tea Ceremony there as a club activity.

In 1990, when the school was moved to Rokko Island, both the Headmaster Dr. Young and the Urasenke Foundation appointed me to head CA’s Chado program. Dr. Hall, the High School principal at the time, incorporated “Tea Ceremony” as a credit course in the Fine Arts Department. A Japanese room at Rokko Island Center (RIC) was used as an off-campus Tea Room. Two years later, Dr. Young assigned me to be a Chado teacher in addition to my duties as the Headmaster’s Assistant. Since I needed to be present on campus at all times, CA biology teacher Mr. Ferguson kindly let me use his science “Experiment Room” on the 4th floor for conducting Tea Ceremony classes. A couple of years later, when the Great Hanshin Earthquake struck Kobe in 1995, the off-campus Tea Room became unavailable because it was used as a shelter. During that chaotic period with the occasional aftershock, one of the Tea students said something to me that I will never forget, “Sensei, please resume the Tea class because we will feel calm and not go astray.”

With the number of students increasing and the off-campus Tea Room no longer being available, another site was needed. Some tatami mats were, therefore, placed in the Drama room and it served as a second Tea Room for two years, the second of which dealt us 9-11. Everyone was praying for peace then. Our Muslim students, who had not until then prayed during school hours, wanted to pray for peace in school. The High School principal at the time, Mr. Habegger, asked me if those students could use the second Tea Room for that purpose. It was the

The new Tea Ceremony room and its historyperfect location as Tea Rooms are considered sacred.

In 2002, I retired from the position of Headmaster’s Assistant, a move that enabled me to devote more time to Chado. What had been the Business Manager’s Office was turned into a Tea Room; it was roomier than the Drama room. At that stage, although we had two cozy Tea Rooms (one of the 1st floor and one on the 4th), the space was soon not sufficient because the number of tea students continued to increase.

After the opening of ELAC in January 2008 and the consequent freeing up of several rooms in the south wing of the main academic building, a former kindergarten classroom was totally transformed into a

new Tea Room during the summer of 2008. The new room is comprised of three tatami rooms that can become one big tatami room when necessary. In addition, there is a Ryurei (table-and-chair) area.

On August 20, 2008, at Open House, our Tea students enjoyed making tea for visitors in the new Tea Room. The first guests were Mr. and Mrs. Hamana from the International Division of Urasenke Foundation Headquarters in Kyoto. (Please see photo above.) Mr. and Mrs. Hamana have visited many Tea Rooms in Japan and all over the world, and their expressions of admiration and delight upon seeing our new Tea Room meant a great deal to us.

The Gift from the Class of 2008 was a Japanese Garden outside this new Tea Ceremony room. Gardeners will start working on it in November 2008 when the weather becomes suitable for planting trees—especially cherry trees.

I deeply appreciate the support given to Tea Ceremony at CA over the years, and invite everyone to stop by the new CA Tea Room when you visit your “Home in Japan”—CA.

Ms. Mizushima and students welcome the Hamanas to the new Tea Room

“Better than Tokyo...”On July 17 Canadian Academy hosted the Japan Bowl, Kansai Round. Japan Bowl, an event formatted like a quiz show, is a competition for high school students studying Japanese language and culture in the USA. Eight student finalists were awarded a tour of Japan this year. The students and honorary guests were welcomed at CA with a tea ceremony organized by Ms. Tami Mizushima and performed by Tomo Nishizawa ’07. Hana Itoh ’08, acted as Master of Ceremony in the P&G Black Box theater. Fred

Alsdorf ’62 represented CA, and Sun TV, The Daily Yomiuri, and Kobe Shinbun covered the event in the media. Ambassador John Malott (former CA parent), President of Japan America Society, Washington, DC, Nariko Hirai ’83, and Midori Yamamoto ’79 were among the organizers. The Japan Bowl, Kansai Round was sponsored by the Japan America Women of Kansai, Canadian Academy, and the US Consul General, Osaka.

The success of this most prestigious event was led by CA’s Service Coordinator, Ms. Midori Nishizawa, the Advancement Office, and supported by more than 25 CA faculty and staff, alumni, and parent volunteers, and more than 27 remarkable student volunteers.

To learn more, visit: http://theatre.canacad.ac.jp/Japan Bowl

An expression of deep appreciation

By the time we finished the ELAC site-specific wall drawing project Darrick Mosser [shown on the left in the picture below with Mr. Matthew Flinchum] had become so generously and completely imbedded in the process that we became a one-mind problem-solving team. He managed not only to find all the equipment needed to project the images, he moved the scaffolding, found students to help, and managed also to dedicate a good part of his free time to actual painting.

I would like to express a special official thank you to someone without whom the project simply would not have been possible.

Thank you, Darrick!

Morgan O’Hara ’59

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Continued from page 8, “Why we sing”

Resources:http://chorusamerica.org/vox_article_singinghealth.cfm http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4448634.stm http://www.edu-cyberpg.com/Music/morebrain.htmlhttp://www.chicagochildrensmuseum.org/learn_sing.html http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=1508http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/5362670.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/5194884.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/5012562.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4289482.stm http://www.schoolmusictoday.com/advocacy/benefits.html

Early Friday morning in late October a group of weary construction workers waited patiently on the front steps of Canadian Academy. Our work completed, an air of satisfaction evident. What had been achieved since we left this very spot seven days earlier? Thirty five bags of cement, five hundred bricks, a door frame and two roofs had been built and two families’ lives had become a little better. Twenty CA students had made this all possible.

Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia was the destination for the 2008 Habitat for Humanity trip, leaving on Friday, the 24th of October and returning on Friday the 31st, in time for the SAT test. Our most diverse group to date of Habitaters had spent five months fund-raising and planning for the trip. We were fortunate with the weather which allowed a full work schedule at the site. The work site was opposite an elementary school, and we were fortunate enough to be invited for a visit. The school also had a soccer field where CA was beaten 7 goals to 6 by a local select eleven. Our rest day was spent visiting orangutans in the jungle.

In today’s high tech world it is difficult for our students to obtain hands-on work. An ink blotch is as dirty as our hands ever get. Habitat for Humanity affords CA student the opportunity to experience a whole new range of feelings and emotions, amongst them an exhausted elation when our first house was complete.

Our group included twelve first time Habitaters, four “Habitat returnees” as well as three old hands, with the record being held by

Sarah Krikke ’09 on her fourth Habitat trip. The memories of Habitat Malaysia will remain with these students, I hope, for a lifetime. Quite likely,

some of them may decide to

venture on another Habitat trip in their future, or maybe even lead a trip. One such HfH individual, Lillian Madrigal ’07, was a CA “Habitater” in ’05 and ’06. Following is a portion of her most recent report and a picture with her and three other CA HfH alumni in Guatemala.

Thank you so much for all of your prayers and support for my Habitat for Humanity trip to Guatemala [July and August, 2008]. With your help the trip was a huge success. This was my fifth Habitat trip so there were many things I expected; however, you’re still nervous every time you go and strongly impacted by everything you see. I do not think I will ever become desensitized

to the harsh conditions of poverty. It is always shocking to see how little some people have. We sit in our houses watching our nice flat screen TVs, listening to our iPods, and going to Costco and buying food for ten families, while there are so many that struggle day to day just to find enough food for their children and a dry place to rest their heads at night. For us, building these simple blockhouses doesn’t seem like much, but to them it is a world of difference. Never have I ever met people so grateful and appreciative; they are so thankful for what little they have. When you see what you have done with just six days of work, you just wish that there were more you could do—you realize that six days out of an entire year is nothing. And no matter how hard you work or how much you bring to donate, it is never enough. These trips have really changed my heart and have allowed me to see what a broken world we truly live in.

It would be a wonderful adventure if the CA Habitat for Humanity team could embark on a program here in Japan. If you or anyone you know is aware of such an opportunity here in Japan or if you have any

questions about Habitat for Humanity at CA, please do not hesitate to email Kevin Elliott at kelliott[at]mail.canacad.ac.jp

Finally, a huge thank you to everyone who helped with CA Habitat 2008, in particular Scott and Alisa Kuppe ’03 (nee Brown) and

Catherine Bennet, CA music teacher, for their active and energetic support.

Habitat for Humanity, 2008 — Malaysia (and Guatemala)by Kevin Elliott, HfH advisor

Heather Bryant ’07, Lillian Madrigal ’07, Kelly Wimmert ’08, Danielle Goodwin ’04

CA Habitat 2008 volunteers and local recipient families

The trip is a great bonding experience, [a chance] to make friendships that one might not have otherwise had. You work hard. It gives satisfaction to work with the people you’re building the house for, and to learn that the world is bigger than Kobe, Japan.

Sarah Krikke ’09

Even rain doesn’t dampen the enthusiasm of CA Habitaters

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Left to right: Min Joo Lee, Sheyen Ikeda, Jiro Kohl, Uday Singh, Sean Livingstone, Mark Alzawahra, Anisha Jhaveri, and Melina Fakoukakis

On my recent trip to NYC, a few of my classmates and I were able to have a mini 2004 Reunion to celebrate Anisha’s birthday. It was amazing to see everyone and talk about where everyone was in their lives now. Although four years have passed, it was as if we had never left CA. The next step will be to have a reunion with all the graduates of 2004!

Mini 2004 Reunion in NYC

“…a great party!”

The event, though small, was most enjoyable. The group pic was taken at our banquet at the Tokyo Restaurant where we had shabu-shabu dinner. Including family, those who attended totaled seventeen.

Kent Naka

The Las Vegas reunion was wonderful. It was a small crowd but very cozy.

George Samuel

Back row: Kent Naka ’61, Mary Chow Hu ’75, Chris Chow ’60Front row: Ram Chattulani ’60, Jeanette Lee Bawer ’61, George Samuel (faculty ’56 -’86), Vicky Chow Wang ’55, Guri Monsen McKinnell ’61

Multi-class Reunion in Las Vegas in August

Kobe—Class of ’83’s 25th!

Back row: George Martakis, Ann Lindsey, Bob Sato, Juliet’s spouse David McEwan, Art Emery, Ann’s son Nolan, Ann’s spouse Scott Rusk, Avi’s partner Mark Rabiner, Avi Pemper, Seth Reames, Ronald Leonhardt, John Hirai, Mohan GulrajaniFront row: David Willis (faculty ’80-’85), Daniel Feurer, Laurie Emery, Susanne Wegmuller, Juliet Lambrick, Fred Alsdorf ’62, Ana Gholston, Nariko Hirai, Yoshika Tada, Anna Ueyama ’84, Beena Gulrajani

First of all, one huge thanks to everyone who worked so hard to make this reunion possible. It was absolutely fantastic and worth every minute and yen. There’s just nothing like reliving great memories and seeing the people and the places that are responsible for them.

Daniel FeurerEnjoy movies of the ’83 Reunion: http://jp.youtube.com/user/robysabrina

What a blast it was! Visiting the current CA campus, a welcome dinner at Kitano Club’s SORA with Ana singing some old tunes for us. Next day, a BBQ lunch at Kobe Club, then visiting the old CA campus, and a final dinner at a Korean izakaya.We have decided to have our 30th in NYC with Avi Pemper taking initiative. Any of you who hung with our class in the past, you are all welcome to join us in 2013!

John Hirai

My turn to say a heartfelt “thank you” to John, Ana, Mohan, and Kiran for all the hard work you obviously ALL put in to getting everything organized and ready for all us out-of-towners. We really did have a fantastic reunion. I really enjoyed catching up with everyone—for some it’s only been 5 years, but for others 25 and more! Now we have NY in 2013 to look forward to, but it’ll be a quite a task to top the 25th. Kudos!!Thanks for the great memories.

Juliet Lambrick

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Annual NYC all-class dinner

From left to right: Stan Wayne ’65, Guri Monsen McKinnell ’61, Joy Brown ’68, Cherub Wayne, Joe Fleig (Mary Ellen Peterson Saville’s spouse), Clark Okawa ’69, Andrea Cukier (John Gillespie’s spouse), John Gillespie ’63, Mary Ellen Peterson Saville ’65, Jimmy Griffin (Joy Brown’s friend), Tom Hartman ’63, Tom Tsai ’65, Leela Hartman (Tom Hartman’s spouse), Jeff Zurhellen (Bill Zurhellen’s son), Mark Tomlinson ’92, Cookie Jarmain Otani-Smith ’64, Bill Zurhellen ’64, Monica Derchi ’86

New York continues to set the pace—8 years of annual reunion dinners! Those of you within striking distance of NYC, don’t forget to put down Saturday, May 16, 2009 on your calendars now! Hats off to John Gillespie ’63 for organizing these multi-class reunions. As Tom Hartman ’63 succinctly said of this year’s dinner:

“We gathered.We talked.We ate.We left.”

Tom, you forgot, “We enjoyed!” Everyone, don’t miss next year’s dinner!

Kobe—Class of ’98’s 10th anniversary

I loved seeing everyone and my son Noah definitely enjoyed the day. Thank you everyone for playing with him. He loves people and just cannot resist the attention he gets every day!We should have the next reunion in five years—another ten years is just too long.

Emily Okamoto

Back row: Alain’s friend, Rasna Dang, Basant Dang, Jarkko’s friend Emilia Partanen, Jarkko Murtoaro, Tomoaki Kimura, Jacky MohinaniSecond row: Emily Okamoto and Noah, Ae Suh Kimura and Ira, Vinesh Motwani, Dylan Nagaoka ’99, Lauren Shaman, Jabre Burns, Richard Weston, Kim Aguinaldo, Mahiyu Dhanwani [Maya Lakhiani] and Shaina, Kamal Dhanwani and ShivFront row: Kimie Yoshitsugu, Sangwoo Lee (holding Yuya Felipe Yoshitsugu), Kunjal Kothari, Siddharth Chodry, Ritesh Punjabi, Alain Austenfeld, Sarah Kashani, Kaoru Yamaguchi, Jennifer Mason, Kuok Hsin Chew ’97, Pramit Shewa ’99

Thanks to all of you, particularly Kaoru, Sarah, and Rena, who worked hard organizing this. Must’ve been a huge challenge given how spread out everyone is around the globe. Turnout was huge and everyone had a great time! Take care and stay in touch.

Vinesh Motwani

It was priceless to see everyone again and although it wasn’t the whole class, I was still blown away by how many showed up. I got to say sorry for taking off so suddenly and not having said a proper goodbye to everyone. Things got a little confusing between the music, drinks, emotions, and that little alley between the two pubs. Waking up on Sunday morning, it all seemed like a dream, but then there were the pictures to prove it. I’m amazed at how diverse our lives have all become; yet, when we got back together, it felt just like old times and I found myself remembering things I had long forgotten. This reunion made me realize how much I miss everyone and what an influence you’ve all been in my life.

Kuok Hsin Chew ’97

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The Boathouse Reunion at Lake Nojiri was unique in that it wasn’t a class or school reunion, but a “location” reunion. The people who gathered had all spent time at Lake Nojiri sometime in their past and had wonderful memories of the place. It was a little bit like being in a time warp but more than that, it felt great to be able to “go back again” and have all the mental stimulation that comes from hearing the language, seeing familiar sights, and having flashes of memories.

The “alumni” were primarily from a variety of Canadian Academy and ASIJ classes. We all had one major thing in common—a love of that beautiful place. Fortunately, the lake, mountains and surrounding areas have not changed very much from the last time I was there—43 years ago!

It didn’t matter that we were from different schools or graduating classes—we had a great time sharing memories and experiences on trips to Nagano City, to Naoetsu on the Japan Sea coast, and to onsen and ofuro on Myoko and Madarao, usually followed by a local specialty meal. We had lots of simple soba meals, and one time, in the town of Togakushi, we sat around a large table at a “soba-ya” and the conversation drifted to happy childhood memories of growing up in Japan. Someone started singing a Japanese children’s song, and others joined in. Then someone said, “Oh, yeah! Remember this one?” Then we all joined in and sang another, and another… great fun!

We had planned to discuss the “good ol’ days” at the reunion, and what I found interesting was that most people wanted to talk about the next time they hoped to GO BACK instead. We talked about how we could clear the path for more people to go back. The place still has its magic!

Mary Ellen Peterson Saville ’65

Nojiri Reunion… Yes it was a time warp. Nojiri is pretty much unchanged and surprisingly, although we have changed a bit in our outward looks, most of us at the reunion seem still very much like the “M. K. Nojiri Kids” I remember growing up with! We still share many values and ideals

that we most likely picked up not only from our parents, but the community at Nojiri. Although it’s been about 30 years since I spent a summer in Nojiri with my family, I could still walk the same paths and find my way without any problem. No east, west and lake-side stores teasing me to buy their delicious fruits and corn, no merchants stopping by the cabin to take our order—these I missed. But the smell, the rain, the black dirt, the simple cabins beckoning a bit of time in the simple life, the lapping of the lake on the boats and shore, the sounds of kids playing in the swim area, and the music of the boathouse, rain on the metal rooftop, the sound of semi, are just some of the things that I found to be just the same. We enjoyed the onsen and the area’s delicious soba. Quite a few Nojiri parents and kids of my generation still keep their cabins and return from all parts of the world each summer. It’s tempting!

Beverly Cunningham Washichek ’75

Multi-school Reunion at Lake Nojiri, Nagano Prefecture

Mollie and Lardner Moore, Sr. ’46

Back row: John Cunningham ’69, Jimmy Brown ’66, Bruce Vorland (ASIJ), Bobbie Swain (ASIJ), Eli Guckenheimer, Beverly Cunningham Washichek ’75Second row: Joy Williams (ASIJ), Chiaki Kitada, Alice Cary, Sam Guckenheimer, Zoe Guckenheimer, Joy Norton (CA and ASIJ ’67), Martha Mensendiek (ASIJ), Mary Ellen Peterson Saville ’65Front row: Connie Kleinjans (ASIJ), Akane Jansen, Yuri Vorland, Beth Cary ’67, Frank Cary ’72, Monica Kleinjans Guckenheimer (ASIJ)

Missing from photo: Lardner Moore, Sr. ’46, Mollie Moore

Connie, John, Mary Ellen, and Akane

“Boathouse Reunion” – August 17-24

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We wished that we had a greater turn-out, but it was an awesome night to catch up with old friends! Metcha natsukashi katta, and great to knowthat we all haven’t changed much. Still can’t believe that 15 years has passed, but sincerely hope that we can all keep in touch! Dae-In Cha

Class of ’93 hosted simultaneous 15th reunions—Tokyo & NYC

Pictured in NYC (left to right):Kurt Koschnitzke, Nathan Newport, Lori (Newton) Koschnitzke, Derek Kuhl ’91, Charles Hill, and Yvonne Sterrett

Pictured in Tokyo (left to right): Yuri Kamino, Dae-In Cha, Junja Son, Koji Ito, Suzuka Inden, Sachie Yamaguchi, Jun Peters (Apologies. Missing from picture: Jeff Tano)

The Alumni Office is happy to announce: George Samuel as Canadian Academy AmbassadorFormer faculty from 1956 to 1986, George Samuel will make himself available to attend annual Alumni Reunions

On Saturday, September 27, 2008, a tropical storm rolled north off the New England coast, its arrival coinciding with the Fifth Annual All-Classes Dinner in Boston. Consequently, all sushi boats at the Ginza restaurant remained at the dock this year. Nonetheless, fifteen hardy souls shrugged off the torrential “elements” and shared an evening of laughter and reminiscence. The Lal family kept its tradition of having at least one member in attendance annually. And there was even a mini-reunion among four persons who’d once resided in the same Chuo-ku “mansion.”

Wet but not washed away — Boston 5th annual dinnerNo less of a good time was had by those who did make the trip. The

enjoyment was greater than usual for me because I situated myself “front and center” and was able to interact with everybody to some extent.

Alumni who attended this reunion dinner were: Colleen Cunningham (Pre-K and Kindergarten teacher, ’91-’95), Spencer Liles ’77, Richa Kumar ’97, Nalini (Bajaj) Chugani ’00, Namita Lal ’05, Paul Moore ’05, Ravi Relan ’05, Masaki Sekine ’06, Nikki Jordan ’08, and Karma Lal ’08. (Apologies! No pictures taken!)

Set aside Saturday, October 3, 2009 on your calendar NOW to be part of the good times next year.

Spencer Liles ’77

The classes of the late 80’s had a FABULOUS time. We were in Las Vegas, NV from Friday, September 12 through at least Sunday, September 14, and we made the most of our time together. The center of our gravity was the center of the Las Vegas Strip – we were primarily at Bally’s, Paris, and Planet Hollywood. The main event was a banquet at Bally’s on Saturday night, on the 26th floor overlooking the Vegas lights. I heard from lots of people saying it was more meaningful and fun that they ever would have imagined. That kind of fun and re-connection really doesn’t come along very often… but if I forget how much work it was maybe I’ll try it again in 2018!

Greg Smith ’88

Back row: Elaine Sun ’88, Christy Gahwiler ’88, Damion Vania ’88, Thomas Zinsli ’88, David Hayter ’87, Brett Sterrett ’88, Ron Bendure ’88, Chih-we Mou ’88, Brad Schliwa ‘87Front row: Dan Oliveira ’85, Ying Chiang ’88, Motonobu Shirasu ’91, Kristin Brueggemann ’88, Kaeko Shirasu ’88, Cathy Bialas ’88, Greg Smith ’88, Michele Keen ’88, Kris Replogle ’87, Amy Schliwa ’88, Renan Kilki ’88

Reunion of the late 1980’s in Las Vegas

Sharon Herrgott ’59 writes, “The Class of 1960 is planning their 50th reunion and wondering where to gather. I assume we are still planning to gather in Kobe in 2009, for our 50th. Some classmates are working on the particulars and will let us know. Morgan O’Hara ’59 contacted me and said she would be willing to do a memorial booklet. She would need some time to do this, so our contribution of stories, pictures, and such needs to begin soon.”

1960’s

Barry Burdett ’59 writes, “In December of 2006, I choked on some food on the movie

Maureen Crane Wartski ’57 writes, “[I’m sending] a photo of our family’s recent two-week trip to Italy. Nine of us—two sons and their families and ourselves—walked, hiked, motored, boated, swam and danced through Rome, the hilly Marche region (near the Adriatic), Florence and Venice. Our photo shows us all on a hill overlooking Florence. The rogue’s gallery runs as follows: Grandpa Mike; daughter-in-law Lynn (Bert’s wife); grand daughter Alex, 7, son Bert, grandson Ben, 11 (Sandra and Mark’s son), daughter-in-law Sandra (Mark’s wife), Grandma Maureen, son Mark. Granddaughter Kate, 8, stands in front of her mom.”

1950’s

Alumni Mailbox

Back row: Solveig Erickson ’71, Steve Erickson ’71, Clark Okawa ’69, Bob Cox, Marie Keighley Gwilym, Gordon SakaueSecond row: T.T. Chen, Ed Driscoll, Norma Grier, Joy Brown, Ellen Marsh Becker, Shin Watari, Lucille Ito (and Sally), Chungsen LeungFront row: Joan Erickson, Ken Moorhead (Faculty ’60-’66), Maggie Moorhead, Evelyn (Yamashita) Cauwel (Faculty ’66-’68, Class Advisor for Class of ’68), Ehud Ronn

Missing from photo: David Moche, Guri Monsen McKinnell ’61

Class of 1968’s 40th Reunion South Kent, CT at the home of Joy Brown—August 1 - 3, 2008

It is truly astonishing how each reunion creates its own essence and how each relationship enriches in its own way.

Gordon Sakaue

We met at Joy’s with great enthusiasm, warmth and good cheer. Quickly all sense of the years between drops away and I am living my life through a blurred lens with an open heart. This time we also had our first memorial service. The classmate we lost was Candy Weishart, our class representative for many years. Barr Ashcraft, who died very close to the time that Candy died, was intertwined in our remembering, planting, meditating, toasting and Chungsen’s beautiful bagpipes playing.

Maggie Moorhead

set, and assumed I had acid reflux. Went to the doctor and found out I had a grapefruit-sized malignant tumor around my esophagus. While determining how to resolve this issue, the doctors discovered a separate tumor in my right lung.

“The doctors determined they could not help me at this stage, and gave me six months to a year to say my goodbyes.

“Well, fortunately, a couple of months later, the doctors decided I should see the docs at the City of Hope near Pasadena, CA. Those wizards took a look at me and said, ‘When do we operate?’ March 1 they took out one lung lobe, my esophagus, several lymph glands, and pulled the top of my stomach up and sewed it to the bottom of my throat. I came out of the operation OK. I am still down 50 pounds, and look like a cross between Don Quixote and Don Knotts.

“If all this sounds bad, there are some very positive results. First of all, I am alive and happy! Paula and I have moved back to Tucson, AZ near our two sons, their wives and eight grandchildren. I have been declared cancer-free. I am on the rebound and will get through this. I am about as healthy as can be expected. No wheel chairs, walkers, or crutches anymore. Working around the house every day and getting ready to get back to the golf course next month! What a great feeling. Give me another year and I will be back 100%.

“My best to all the CA folks!”

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John Gillespie ’63: On a recent business trip to Tokyo, John, a new member of CA’s Advancement Committee, made a special trip to the Kansai in order to attend an Advancement Committee meeting at CA. CA thanks John for his commitment to the school. John is shown here with Fred Alsdorf ‘62, Director of Alumni Relations. John and Fred knew each other as teenagers when they attended CA in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s.

Bob Marvin ’62 writes, “I left Kobe/Kyoto in the summer of 1962, returned to the States, and was hit with a case of ‘reverse culture shock’ that I still remember like it was yesterday. I went to college at Johns Hopkins, to graduate school at the University of Chicago (Ph.D. in Human Development and Psychology),

Alumni attendees at CA’s PTA 2008 Food and FUN Fair. Shown are Winnie Inui (mother of Lisa Inue ’92), Neta Miyato-Maeda ’61, and Kate Brueggemann ’67. One of Neta’s granddaughters, attends CA in Grade 6.

Margie Jonell ’60 and her two children, Kristina Yarrington and Kevin Jonell, visited CA in early September. This was Margie’s second visit to the Rokko Island campus, but the first for her children. ELAC had not been completed the last time she visited, so they took the grand tour this time. They all were very impressed with ELAC, mentioning words such as “beautiful,” and “impressive.”

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Michael Todd ’77 writes, “It has been many years since I have attended CA, but I will always have fond memories of the place, and the lessons and education I received there has helped me tremendously through the years.”

Laily Mumtazi-Sims ’74 visited CA in September with her sister-in-law Ms. Sandra Sims Stren-Fotos.

Ms. Stren-Fotos was a teacher at CA, teaching Science and Junior High and High School Social Studies from 1973 to 1975. Laily is shown here with her husband, Sheridan Sims and Ms. Stren-Fotos, children of Charles Alexander Sims ’32.

Maria Dancing Heart [Maria Hoaglund] ’73 is the author of The Last Adventure of Life, an ideal book for anyone who is grieving, preparing to die, caring for an ill loved one, or interested in exploring new ways to view death and spirituality. The author, an ordained minister, has a decade of experience working in hospice and blends this experience skillfully with poetry, inspirational stories, meditations and more into “a treasury of hope and healing that reframes the experience of death as one of transformation—a new adventure in life.”

Mami Tsuchihashi ’67 and her daughter Sarah visited CA in May. Shown here in this picture are Mami, Sarah, and Sarah’s second

son Ryoma. Mami makes her home in Japan.

1970’s

Jim McGarvey ’65 writes, “Here is a photo from my daughter’s Baccalaureate on May 29, 2008. From left to right: my son Christopher (16), myself, my daughter Ashley (18), my wife Beth, and my daughter Sarah (19).

“I am an ordained minister with the Christian and Missionary Alliance and have pastored in Florida for eighteen years. I am currently employed as the full time Director of Development for Hope Women’s Centers in Pompano Beach. We are a pro-life ministry operating five pregnancy resource centers in Broward County, Fort Lauderdale.

“As you might know I was unable to graduate from CA because I had to return with my parents for furlough in the summer of 1964. I had my senior year of high school at Nyack High School in NY. I then attended Nyack College, graduating in 1969. Later I attended Trinity Evangelical Divinity School earning my M.Div. in 1974.

“My twin brother John ’61 passed away in 1991. My sister Joy ’61 lives with her husband Dennis Bupp in New Castle, PA.”

Laura Ann Moore ’77 (nee Fiske) writes, “On August 4, 2008, Jim Moore ’77 and I are celebrating our first anniversary, but it seems more like it should be the 34th!

“In 1975, when we were sophomores, I became pregnant and in February gave birth to a son who was immediately put up for adoption. At the end of that school year, Jim was sent back to the States to live with his brother. We tried to keep in touch but youth and distance kind of got in the way. After I came back to the States for college we tried to get back together, but it didn’t seem to be

Alice Wisler ’79 writes, “My novel Rain Song is now on sale at Kinokuniya as well as available at Amazon.jp.

“Although the story takes place in North Carolina, USA, there are many Japan

connections.”You can read reviews of Rain Song at

www.alicewisler.com/shall.htm

Madeleine Umewaka ’77 writes, “My daughter, Soraya Umewaka, graduated in 2006 with a degree in comparative politics from Princeton University, which awarded her a Labouisse Fellowship among various grants to pursue her career as a documentary filmmaker. The first time she discovered her interest in making documentaries was when she went to Kabul, Afghanistan in 2003 to research the reconstruction efforts in the country.

“Her most recent documentary on Ecuadorian street youths Street Witness was selected at the 2008 Miami International Film Festival. This documentary has a high educational and social value and importantly the proceeds of the documentary go to educational scholarships for street youths and youths who live in slums.

“She is also currently engaging in the post-production of a Brazilian documentary on the joys and struggles of seven individuals who live in the favelas of Rio.

“For more on Soraya’s Street Witness, go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=866gHuu_PH0

in the cards. We both ended up going our separate ways and having kids, etc. 24 years later I looked him up on the CA website and found his name. I emailed him and within four months we were back together again and married ten months later. It is wonderful to be together again and it was like we’d only been apart for a weekend—that’s how well we fit together and get along even though it had been over thirty years.

“We are now trying to find our son, but since he was put up for adoption 33 years ago and in Japan, it has been very difficult to find out anything.

“Our wedding was held here in Tigard, OR on August 4, 2007 and was attended by family and friends. Abe and Kay Koop, Janet

Hoaglund Heath ’76 and Allen Brady ’77 honored us by attending. Jim saved a picture that was taken of us from the 1970’s at a ‘Harbor Festival’ in Kobe and which was published in a Kobe magazine; we tried to ‘mirror’ it for the picture of us now.”

and post-doc and then my first job here at the University of Virginia where I’ve stayed ever since. I’ve spent my career doing research and clinical work with at-risk parents and kids… mostly kids

with chronic medical conditions, and those in the foster care and adoption systems. I’m now Professor Emeritus at the UVA School of Medicine, Research Professor in the Psychology Department, and have a clinic and research center in the private sector in Charlottesville, Virginia.

“I have a wonderful wife of 41 years, two kids (40 and 39), and five grandchildren ranging from 15 years to almost 3. I still travel a lot, mostly for teaching purposes. Most of my play time is spent on my boat on the Chesapeake Bay. I have much to be thankful for! As I think about my most important and memorable experiences, the year-and-a-half I spent in Nippon and my senior year at CA certainly stand out near the top!”

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2000’s

Vikas Keswani ’00 writes, “Mr. Guthrie, I wanted to write you not only to thank you for your contributions to the school and to its students, but also express my appreciation for the personal impact you have had on me.

“I believe teaching is among the most admirable, as well as difficult jobs. Having the power of shaping the next generation comes with great responsibility. As I review the

Edward Sumoto ’00 writes, “A half-page interview of myself was published in the September 1 issue of Kobe Shimbun. The article reports on my activities in the community regarding multicultural co-living.

“Also, Hyogo Prefecture awarded me for my public service and cultural exchange efforts over the last ten years. I see this award (Wakodo no Sho) as a recognition not only of myself but of the people who have supported me and a chance to highlight these individuals, groups, and NGOs and present them to the public. So when I receive the award at the end of September, I will include in my reception speech an introduction to these organizations, including, of course, K.I.S.S. and CA.

“Also, I have received a copy of Mixed Roots documentary produced by and shown on NHK. I appear in the beginning, but more importantly, it highlights issues of multicultural co-living and the messages of these artists to Japanese society.”

Holly Anderson-Lester ’88 (nee Keough) visited CA with her two children

and her mother (former CA teacher ’73-’82) Peggy Keough, in late June 2008. Shown here are Peggy, Cody, Holly, and Grace. Holly is a special education instructor in Spokane, WA. Peggy Keough continues to work in international schools; she currently teaches at Lincoln School in Nepal.

Anil Mirchandani ’87 writes, “Dear friends,“We wanted to make it formal that Jessica

and I will be parents late this year.“The ultrasound scan confirmed that we

are having one child and the heartbeat was nice and strong! It was a wonderful experience going through the ultrasound and both Jessica and I are indeed very pleased and excited. The expected date of delivery at this stage is November 15, so we have a few months yet. I don’t want to know the sex, but Jessica is keen to find out so that we can prepare for the birth. At the end of the day, so long as the child is healthy is all that matters to us.”

Morris Kimura ’85 stopped by CA in April 2008. He, spouse Jaimie, and son Rei are doing well in Vermont where they have been living for several years. A teacher by profession, Morris is hoping to work at CA

or another international school in Japan in the near future.

1990’sAlex Franz ’85 recently visited CA with his family and mother. Shown here in the picture

are (left to right): Maya (5), Alex, mother Rosemarie, Nina (3), spouse Keiko, and Kai (7). This was their first visit back to Kobe since they left in the mid 1980’s. Alex remarked that ELAC was one of the most impressive school buildings he has ever seen.

Andrew Izard ’83 writes, “I have been with my partner Jodie for about fifteen years. We have four beautiful, active, intelligent, healthy, demanding, eating-a-lot, arguing-sometimes, but generally-a-blessing children: Blaise 12, Miah 7, Soraya 1, and my boy Tarun, who is every one of his 10 years. We also have a dog, a cat, five chickens and plenty of space for them to run around in, but a bit of work to maintain with lawn mowing and occasional garden work required.

“We live in Woolgoolga, a great place on the North Coast of NSW, Australia. You can Google our place on the Google map!

“I am a self employed Arborist/Horticulturist, which keeps me pretty busy in this part of the world. I do hope to visit Japan again one day.

“I am a keen surfer and spend a lot of my free time surfing, swimming or helping out at the beach as a Voluntary Lifeguard, if I am not running around after kids for sport, dancing , b’day parties, etc, !!

“Mum and Dad are still working and keeping well. They have 20 acres with Alpacas and chickens, a distance from us so seeing them is often not an easy task, but we all still keep in touch, my brothers and sisters are all well. My Youtube site is http://www.youtube.com/izzytree”

Elon Simon ’82 writes, “It is good to know that the old school is still going! I recently requested my transcript so that I could take classes to learn how to teach English. I was pleasantly surprised to find a handwritten name on the envelope that came soon after, ‘Fred Alsdorf.’ Ah, I looked him up in my yearbook to confirm my memory. Although I don’t think I took classes from him, I remember him helping my Japanese peers coming mid-stream into high school.

“Another recent mailing from the school had a familiar face on the cover, that of Mr. Samuel from whom I took algebra (or was it calculus?), and also the name of Kiran Sethi [’83], who I remember from his Kabuki performances. Still there and keeping the Kobe community strong!

“I’ve been here in Kiryu, Gunma-ken, for about seven years, living with my parents who are gardening and involved with art. I have been translating for Ota City and teaching as an ALT in a Japanese high school. Just recently I enrolled in a course to become a better teacher. It is enjoyable and rewarding to teach. I hope to rub off onto my students something positive just as people like Mr. Alsdorf and Mr. Samuel did for members of my class and many more.

“By the way, I still remember a few lines from the Kabuki Yoritomo no Shi I was in and the indefatigable iron lady, Ms. Unno, who coached us.”

1980’s

Yuri M. Lyddan ’92 (nee Alsdorf) announces the birth of her first son, Kai Michael Lyddan, born August 13, 2008. Yuri and her husband John make their home in San Francisco.

Gaelle Komornicki Zibolt ’98 visited CA with her husband Brice in October. The handsome couple were on a honeymoon visit to Japan when they stopped by. Currently living in Avignon, France, where they run a restaurant, they were

happily married in September with several CA friends and classmates in attendance at the celebration—Julia ’02 and Remi Komornicki ’05, Jabre Burns ’98, Aradhana Dugar (nee Bothra) ’98, Kunjal Kothari (nee Chaudhari) ’98, Vivienne Logi (nee Cairns) ’97, Mathieu ’06 and Pauline Verdier ’03, and Erica Dorn ’04.

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Former faculty and parents

In Memoriam

Krista Schuhr ’60 passed away on September 15 after a long battle with cancer.

Sherwood R. Moran ’35 passed away on Wednesday 16 April 2008, in Madison, Wisconsin at the age of 90.Born in 1917 in Tokyo, Japan, the son of Congregational missionaries, Sherwood grew up speaking Japanese. Educated through high school at Canadian Academy in Kobe, he received his bachelor’s degree from Oberlin College in 1939.Sherwood Moran is survived by his sister, a daughter and two sons, nine grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. (David Moran)

It is with sadness that I inform you of the death of Marjorie Kinnear (nee Norton) Spencer ’41, aged 81. She suffered a stroke in May 2004 and passed away in October 2005. She is survived by her sister, her husband, two daughters, one son, and eight grandchildren. (James J. Norton, MD)

Alexander and Bea Jost, parents of Boris ’92, Cyril ’95, and Daniel ’99, visited CA in early October. They were thrilled to meet Mr. Flinchum and Ms. Ota, former teachers of their sons. Although the Josts left Japan before any of their sons could graduate from CA, Alexander and Bea had nothing but praise for the excellent educational foundation their sons received at CA.

Dan and Karol Hovde and daughter Ellen visited CA in early April 2008 as part of a trip to China and Japan during their Spring Break. The Hovdes make their home in Aberdeen, Scotland, where both Dan and Karol work at the International School of Aberdeen. Dan is the Director and Karol works as the MS/HS Counselor.

Kenji Herbert ’06 writes, “This past year and a half I have been a student at the Jazz Department of the Music Academy in Basel, Switzerland. It is an excellent school with a fantastic faculty. I especially wanted to study here because of my current guitar teacher, Wolfgang Muthspiel, who is like a hero to me. It was at his suggestion that I auditioned for the Berklee College of Music early this year. He was at Berklee, too, and thought the best

Paul Moore ’05 at work on a new movie, CA, July 2008.

Teresa Iketsuki ’04 writes, “As of August 2008, I have successfully finished my Bachelors of Psychology degree at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver, Canada. I have been accepted into the Faculty of Education at UBC, and have started my Elementary Teacher Education this September. The program will go on until next July, and by then I will hopefully be qualified to teach kindergarten to seventh grade.

“My life in Vancouver has been amazing. I hope to gain some teaching experience through substituting for various elementary schools around Vancouver when I finish this program. Maybe I will return to CA as a teacher some day!

“This is a picture of me and Andrew Brown, my boyfriend.”

Naomi Kite ’01 writes, “I am engaged to Henri Soila, with plans to marry in Helsinki, Finland during the summer of 2010. The couple met at Tufts University, where they both completed their undergraduate degrees, and they now live in Brussels, Belgium where they are enjoying the international community that lives there. If any CA alums are in the area, please don’t hesitate to drop a line!”

Amy Anderson ’02 writes, “Hi everyone! I thought it was about time to send in an update… It’s hard to believe that it has been six years since I left Japan. Anyhow, my sister, Sara Anderson ’04 and I both recently completed degrees at the University of Michigan.

“During my time in Ann Arbor, I earned my BS in Architecture (’06) as well as my M. Arch. degree (’08). After graduation I accepted a position at the Washington, D.C. office of Ellerbe-Becket, an architectural firm that specializes in education, health care, and sports venues. I’m currently working on The ASPETAR Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital in Doha, Qatar.

“Sara earned dual-BA degrees in English and Spanish at UM and is now enrolled in the College of Law at Michigan State University in East Lansing, MI. This past April, several CA-alums studying at UM met and had dinner with the Mr. & Mrs. Becker in Ann Arbor. While I was unable to make it, I thought I’d share one

of Sara’s pictures. Pictured (left to right) are:

Sara Anderson ’04, Richard Becker, Lillian Madrigal ’07, Sarah Rutherford ’06, Holly Becker and Anisha Jhaveri ’06. [The Beckers were CA faculty, ’92-’07.)

thing for me now would be to study with his former-teacher, Mick Goodrick, who’s list of students reads like the who’s who of jazz guitar. I did a live audition for admission and a scholarship at a school affiliated with Berklee not very far from where I live. Fortunately, I received a $11,000 scholarship which covers about half of the annual tuition and I will be attending starting January next year. At this point I still don’t know whether I can study with Mick Goodrick (I have to audition again when I’m there) but I trust that it will work out just fine. Going to Berklee seems to be the next logical step in my career, which in some ways has already begun. I went on a Swiss tour last year with an ‘all-star’ band of selected students from all jazz schools in Switzerland, and I just had two appearances at the Jazz festival in Basel. I’m also excited about going to Boston for another reason; reuniting with old friends from Canadian Academy. So, see you out there and if not, please buy my CD if you ever come across one.”

teachers I have had in my 25 plus years, it is both unfortunate and ironic that I remember so few of them. It is further ironic that I cannot recall any of the names of my professors in university, despite their Ivy League pedigree and reputation as the best finance professors in the world. I do, however, vividly recall my interactions with you and credit you with much of my success today.

“I may not compute derivatives, integrations, etc. on a regular basis today, but our work in Calculus impressed upon me the ability to tackle issues logically or, more colloquially, ‘how to figure stuff out.’ Mr. Guthrie you are one of the few people who inspired me to realize my full potential, and for this I cannot thank you enough. I remember you being the first person with whom I wanted to share the news of receiving a 5 on the AP Calculus BC exam.

“Please keep well and if you are ever in New York, I would be delighted if you contacted me.”

These pictures will likely make some CA Alumni wax nostalgic for the “school of grey ’neath Maya-san.” They are, in fact, of the bridge over the river leading up to the old site of the Gloucester House, CA’s dormitory from 1928-1990, and the old CA campus. Most people going over the bridge, which in the above photograph is facing west, are not likely to notice the CA shield on the northeastern post as they whiz past in their cars. In the old days, too, most people walking up or down the hill towards Minooka-dori and the east would miss it, being much more likely to take the steel

pedestrian bridge that crosses the ravine below what is now the Kobe Union Church.In researching the history of CA, I discovered the origin of the bridge and its shield

apparently go back to the days of the dedication of the original Gloucester House: A grand and glorious procession from the school and the old Academy Building in Oji wound its way up the mountain, and the bridge was part of these events, as I understand them. After hiking up through the rice paddies below Maya-san, then crossing the bridge, the school community ended up in front of the then-new dormitory, Gloucester House. This was followed by the unveiling of a cairn and a ceremony for the dedication of Gloucester House, named for the third son of King George and Queen Mary of England at the time. The stone plaque with that dedication has been preserved at the new CA on Rokko Island and reads: “This cairn was unveiled by H.R.H. The Duke of Gloucester K.G. on May 21, 1928 in commemoration of the visit of His Royal Highness and the removal of the Canadian Academy to this site.”

Most of Nagamine-san, at least the mountain below the tree line in those days, was owned by the mission community, with little of it developed; and it was thought that a dormitory for the boys up on the mountain would build character and keep them out of mischief. The old Academy Building just above Oji Zoo was destroyed in the fire-bombings of Kobe in March 1945. The area around the bridge was honey-combed with caves excavated as bomb shelters from that time, some still accessible into the 1980’s.

The Shinkansen passes through the Rokko Mountains in the Shin-Kobe Tunnel, second longest rail tunnel in Japan, just behind the dam in the picture. Beyond in the mountains are of course Cascade Valley and the wonderful cool water of the pool behind the fourth dam, famous for adventurous forays for CA students for many years!

Familiar but maybe not so familiar?by David Blake Willis, Ph.D., CA High School faculty, 1980-85