Japan in DC

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Did you realize you can experience Japan without ever leaving DC?

Program Overview

Japan in DC, introduced in summer 2017, is a free six-week summer enrichment program for DC public high school students (DCPS and charter). Up to 20 students spend the summer (Monday-Friday, 5 hours per day) exploring a wide variety of people, places, and organizations in the city with a connection to Japan. Students conduct interviews, discuss the meaning and connections in all they experience, draft articles, take photos, write poetry, and create art for a culminating project. The program has been offered in 2017 and 2023 as a worksite for students registered with the Marion Barry Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP), and was also open to students not in SYEP. Non-SYEP students were eligible to earn community service hours they can use to fulfill their high school graduation requirements.

The Japan in DC program was designed for DC high school students to accomplish these goals:

  1. To increase their knowledge of/familiarity with a wide range of Japan-related content.
  2. To become more familiar with their city.
  3. To understand the ways in which DC is a global city.
  4. To enhance academic skills (such as writing, listening, critical thinking)
  5. To acquire work-readiness skills and experience.
  6. To develop projects designed to share what they’ve learned over the summer to a wider audience.
  7. To gain life lessons through intergenerational conversation.
  8. To gain knowledge of Japan-related college/career pathways.

2017 Program:

Our Students: 2017 Japan in DC students
Our Staff: Chanae Brown and Heidi Ashton Yoon

2017 Program Follow-Up

Students who successfully completed the Japan in DC program were eligible to participate in the next Japanese Plus Level 1 program in SY2018-19. Four students chose this option.

In February 2018, eight Japan in DC students were invited to participate in a free KAKEHASHI exchange to Japan, sponsored by the Japanese government. This wonderful program included visits to Tokyo and Gifu, cultural excursions and workshops, government briefings, and home stays with Japanese families.

Three Japan in DC students enrolled in Temple University-Japan Campus after high school graduation.

The Japan in DC Book

In summer 2019 two student interns, Tara Martin and Aeris Golden-Thompson, worked with the Program Director, Sally Schwartz, to complete final edits to the Japan in DC student work and to complete some additional visits and interviews. With the assistance of local graphic artist, Manuel Leon, a 128-page, full-color paperback book, called Japan in DC, was released in March 2020, just as the pandemic struck. This wonderful guidebook is available for purchase at www.globalizedc.org/japan-in-dc-book. All proceeds from sales are used to support Globalize DC’s menu of Japan-related programs.


2023 Program:

Our Students: 2023 Japan in DC students
Our Staff: Sally Schwartz, Dorothy Darbouze, and Sayuri Kataoka