"Gather Around! Elementary School Students" Honjo Elementary School Edition (Aired on April 18, 2026) ~ What are the efforts of Honjo Elementary School to foster bonds with the local community, carrying the spirit of "If you try, you can do it"

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 April 18, 2026 (Saturday), we introduced the situation at "Honjo Elementary School" located in Kojima, 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 Honjo Elementary School located in Kojima, Kurashiki City. They are focusing on unique initiatives that teach the joy of steady effort.

The Charm of Honjo Elementary School was immediately shared by the children.

About Honjo Elementary School

The first to introduce the school is Nonoka Moriwake. She presented clearly, seemingly without any nervousness.

At Honjo Elementary School, there is a project called "Thank You for What I Could Do" where children steadily work hard and connect with gratitude.

This initiative is inspired by the fable of "The Tortoise and the Hare," emphasizing the importance of not giving up and steadily challenging oneself like a tortoise, as well as expressing gratitude to those around them who provided advice and to themselves for their efforts.

The activity involves writing about one's growth and gratitude on a special card and dropping it into a post box within the school. The contents submitted are introduced to the entire school during the lunch broadcast. The image character, Kotsukame-kun, also distributes "Thank You Cards," and nearly 500 cards have been collected so far.

Moriwake introduced some of the cards that have been submitted so far.

A fourth grader wrote, "Thanks to my friend, I could play the xylophone," and another wrote, "When I jumped rope with the first and second graders, I could jump 122 times," reflecting the small daily efforts.

The greatest feature of Honjo Elementary School is that the children can steadily work hard toward small everyday goals, just like a tortoise. With the motto "If I try, I can do it tomorrow," the children continue to take on challenges today.

Children of Honjo Elementary School Talk About "School & School District Pride"

Next, we will introduce the "School and School District Pride" that the children are proud of.

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

1. "Becha Festival" Continuing for About 400 Years

The first to present their pride was Hiroto Fujita. He talked about the traditional event "Becha Festival" that has been held in the Honjo area for about 400 years.

The Becha Festival is held on the third Saturday and Sunday of October every year. It is said to have started when a large outbreak of disease occurred in Shionasu, and the gods were shared from a shrine in Fukuyama City.

A unique tradition of the Becha Festival is that tengu (mythical creatures) hit children with bamboo grass. It is said that the places hit by the tengu will be free from illness. At night, portable shrines are also paraded, and the entire town of Shionasu becomes very lively.

Fujita enthusiastically promoted the charm of this festival, saying, "Please come to Shionasu!" as the whole community enjoys it together.

2. "Greeting Movement" with the Community

Next, Chako Tanimoto introduced the daily "Greeting Movement." This initiative is not only undertaken by the students and teachers but also actively involves community members.

Tanimoto mentioned that exchanging greetings makes for "a pleasant day." Through greetings, the bonds with community members naturally deepen, creating a bright atmosphere. Such small daily efforts seem to contribute to the vitality of not just the school but the entire community.

3. Warm Bonds with the Community

Finally, Kaho Furukawa presented on the "Good Relationships with Community Members."

At Honjo Elementary School, community members are active in various aspects of school life.

For example, in addition to the "Calculation Dojo" and "Traditional Games Club," fifth graders also participate in rice planting and harvesting with community members. Furthermore, every Friday morning, reading volunteers come to read interesting picture books. The diverse interactions ranging from learning to play and agricultural experiences are a significant pride for Honjo Elementary School.

I believe that the environment where children can learn many things from adults other than teachers and family supports the rich growth of Honjo children.

With the spirit of "If I try, I can do it," the children of Honjo Elementary School lead vibrant daily lives. Supported by teachers and community members, we look forward to their continued growth.

Thank you, everyone at Honjo Elementary School.

Voices of Children Looking Toward the Future

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

Five children participated in the interview this time.
Imagining their future selves as an aquarium keeper, chocolatier, chef, nursery teacher, and police officer is exciting.

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

Thank you, everyone at Honjo Elementary School.