"Gather Around! Elementary School Students" Tsurajima North Elementary School Edition (Broadcast on March 28, 2026) ~ Tsurajima North Elementary School Works on Learning Utilizing the Rich Nature to Raise Children with the Entire Community

On FM Kurashiki, every Saturday from 8 AM to 9 AM, we broadcast "Gather Around! Elementary School Students".

The personality, Asuka Abe, visits elementary schools in Kurashiki City to interview children who talk about the charm of their schools and school districts, as well as their big dreams. Through the genuine voices of the children, we can once again feel the charm of the community.

In the broadcast on March 28, 2026 (Saturday), we introduced the situation at "Tsurajima Kita Elementary School" located in Tsurajima, Kurashiki City.

We will share the lively voices of the children.

This article is a contributed piece by FM Kurashiki. It has been edited and published by the Haretoco General Incorporated Association editorial team.

FM Kurashiki "Gather Around! Elementary School Students"

In "Gather Around! Elementary School Students," we conduct direct interviews with sixth graders at the visited elementary schools, deeply exploring the charm of the schools everyone attends. Additionally, we highlight the "School District Pride," where children share the good and favorite aspects of their community from their perspective.

They talk about their exciting future dreams and express gratitude to their families who are always with them... We will also present heartwarming interviews that will surely touch the hearts of adults.

This time, we visited Tsurajima Kita Elementary School located in Tsurajima, Kurashiki City. With a total of 82 students, the school takes advantage of its small size to promote interaction across different grades every day. It is a school wrapped in a warm atmosphere.

The charm of Tsurajima Kita Elementary School was immediately shared by the children.

About Tsurajima Kita Elementary School

The first to introduce the school is Shuto Umano.

According to Umano, the greatest charm of Tsurajima Kita Elementary School is the strong camaraderie among all students, regardless of their grade. During recess, students from first to sixth grade play dodgeball together and enjoy playing energetically without regard to their grade.

Supporting this camaraderie is the "vertical group activity." This involves students from first to sixth grade forming a single group to engage in cleaning activities and play together. Thanks to these vertical group activities, all students can remember each other's faces well.

Furthermore, the school is filled with cheerful greetings. They strive to greet each other in a way that makes others feel good, and they aim to be elementary school students who can greet energetically not only within the school but also at home and in the community.

The deep bonds unique to a small number of students and the lively greetings show that the children of Tsurajima Kita Elementary School are working together to uplift the community.

Children of Tsurajima Kita Elementary School Talk About "School & School District Pride"

Next, we will introduce the "strong points of the school and school district" that the children are proud of.

Three children presented the charms of Tsurajima Kita Elementary School and its district.

1. Rice cultivation and mandarin orchard visits! The rich nature surrounding the school

Kokomi Sanaka shared the first pride, which is the nature-rich environment that spreads across the school district.

Surrounding the school building are rice fields, and nearby flows the Takahashi River. Utilizing this rich nature, they conduct unique learning experiences such as rice cultivation and visits to mandarin orchards.

In the rice cultivation experience, they borrowed nearby rice fields, planting rice in June and harvesting in October. The experience of growing rice over a long period must have also made them feel the rewards of agriculture.

Additionally, right behind the school is Mt. Ohirayama, affectionately known as "Mandarin Mountain." During the comprehensive learning time in the third grade, they also visit the mandarin orchards. Even now, there are unmanned vending machines for mandarins, allowing them to feel the local specialties up close.

The environment where they can learn through real experiences surrounded by nature seems to be a significant charm for the children.

2. Various events created by the local community

Next, Aito Yamamoto shared about the various events held by the local community, where everyone comes together.

In addition to traditional festivals that have been cherished for a long time, cleaning activities to beautify the community are also carried out cooperatively. There are also festivals organized by parents, such as Halloween festivals and sweet potato baking events.

Among them, Yamamoto mentioned that his favorite is the summer festival. On that day, a giant "ghost maze" appears in the schoolyard. He explained that it is a very popular maze enjoyed not only by elementary school students but also by younger children and middle school students.

Many adults who work for the community and for the children are creating fun memories at Tsurajima Kita Elementary School.

3. The warmth of the community felt through patrol teams and volunteers

Finally, Mei Okuno shared her thoughts on the warmth of the community that she felt through interactions with local people.

During school commutes, the patrol team members watch over the children and greet them with smiles, saying "Have a good day" and "Be careful." Okuno mentioned that hearing those kind greetings makes her start the day with a positive feeling, saying, "Let's do our best today!"

Additionally, many volunteers support Tsurajima Kita Elementary School. Volunteers who help keep the flowers in the school blooming and those who entertain with creative storytelling are essential for the children's fulfilling school life.

It was conveyed that Tsurajima Kita Elementary School is being watched over and nurtured by the entire community. I hope the children continue to grow freely and healthily surrounded by rich nature and engaging with many people.

Thank you, everyone at Tsurajima Kita Elementary School.

Voices of Children Looking Toward the Future

After learning about the school's charms, we also asked everyone about their future dreams.

The 11 children who answered the interview included aspirations to become professional athletes, theme park cast members, veterinarians, hairdressers, singers... Imagining everyone's future selves is exciting.

The sight of children challenging themselves with "what they love" as their driving force gave us adults great courage and inspiration.

Thank you, everyone at Tsurajima Kita Elementary School.