Japanese Students Visit USN
一期一会 [Ichi-go Ichi-e]
“Only once in a lifetime do we have the opportunity for this kind of meeting with you in this place,” Hayashi said to the assembly of high schoolers last Wednesday.
The senior from Kwansei Gakuin High School represented the twelve Japanese students and their faculty who were spending the week in homes of their USN guests. “We must make the most of this opportunity, cherish the time we have together because we only get one chance to meet you like this.”
The high schoolers sat spellbound as Rebecca Clark greeted our guests in flawless Japanese, snickered when an awkward bow and handshake greeting collided, laughed aloud at Hayashi-kun’s joke as he displayed the jersey alumna Chloe Kibble had sent, and sat mesmerized when Yuya Tsurushita gave a kendo demonstration. The experience was a once-in-a-lifetime meeting, that union of two cultures so dissimilar, yet with people who have so much in common.
This visit held special significance as KGHS joined USN in celebrating the Centennial while KGHS celebrates its 125th year anniversary this year. USN was also honored with the presence of Principal Ishimori, who missed the opening ceremony of his school—KGHS opened last Wednesday—in order to pay tribute to USN. (Note: he had asked the chancellor of the university to give his welcoming speech, and she had agreed, re-affirming her support of our exchange program.)
The week began with an informal picnic at the River Campus, where host families greeted their guests around a traditional Labor Day meal of barbeque. Following lunch, the students enjoyed playing assorted games and touring the wetlands as they became acquainted. Although the Japanese guests line-danced at the Wildhorse Saloon, toured the Country Music Hall of Fame, ran up the Parthenon steps, and toured Vanderbilt's campus, their favorite times were those spent with their host brothers and sisters.
USN/KGHS celebrates its 26th year of partnership this year, strengthened by this visit and the USN visit to Japan last summer. In a few weeks, the ninth graders will once again receive letters and gifts from their Japanese pen pals with whom they will exchange correspondence, an experience now in its ninth year. Simply by learning just a little of their culture and their language, we gain a better understanding of others and ourselves.
School News
List of 3 news stories.
-
USN Evening Classes offers mahjong for parents, Middle Schoolers
Students in grades 5-8 and their families can take USN Evening Class 702: Mah and Pah Jong and Me to learn to play a board game together while benefiting USN's need-based scholarship endowment.Read More -
Travel grant takes naturalist to Galápagos Islands
Read MoreThe Helen Meador Summer International Fellowship funded a summer of professional development in South America for Lower School Naturalist Carrie Riley. Through this profound experience, she said she plans to bring these lessons into her teaching, grounding her voice in wonder, joy, and a commitment to protecting the natural world, which she loves. -
Vissepó’s 'Fantastical Views' creates space to connect
The impact of USN’s Art Department is not confined to art studios in the Christine Slayden Tibbott Center. Students often engage with art in ways that transcend traditional classroom learning, such as at the opening reception for artist Yanira Vissepó's “Fantastical Views.”Read More
Athletics News
List of 3 news stories.
-
HS athletics recaps for September 11-17
Tiger golfers have officially qualified for the region tournament, and our other teams are not far behind. Volleyball sits near the top of the district, finishing up regular season play next week with Senior Night. Girls soccer continues to hold first place in the district after another 9-0 win, and our cross country runners are chasing after some school records. To round it all out, our mountain bike team traveled to Oakfield to continue to improve on their times for the season. There’s plenty more where that came from- so be sure to come out to the River Campus, Sperling Gym, or out on the road to cheer on our Tigers before their seasons end.Read More -
MS athletics recaps for September 11-17
Middle School volleyball and tennis teams are nearing the final games of their seasons, with the competition heating up while the Tigers play to determine their HVAC rankings. Cross country was finally able to race at the River Campus despite the heat, and our mountain biking team traveled to Oakfield, Tennessee, for a high-temperature race weekend.Read More -
MTB Race #2 Report - Rockabilly Ridge Trails, Oakfield, TN
The MTB team returned to the the twisty trails of tranquil Oakfield, TN on Sept 13th to take part in the second race of the season, as part of the 5-race series hosted by the NICA/TICL League.Read More
Contact
Edgehill Campus
2000 Edgehill Ave.
Nashville, TN 37212
Phone: 615-321-8000
Fax: 615-321-0889
Email: info@usn.org
River Campus
1200 County Hospital Road
Nashville, TN 37218
2000 Edgehill Ave.
Nashville, TN 37212
Phone: 615-321-8000
Fax: 615-321-0889
Email: info@usn.org
River Campus
1200 County Hospital Road
Nashville, TN 37218
USN Mission:
University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.
University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.