“Gather Around, Elementary School Students!” Oimatsu Elementary School Edition (Aired September 20, 2025)～ Oimatsu Elementary School’s Efforts to Build a Better School with “O-I-MA-TSU” as Its Motto

“Gather Around! Elementary School Students” is broadcast on FM Kurashiki every Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.

Hosted by Asuka Abe, the program visits elementary schools in Kurashiki City to report on what makes the schools and their districts special, and to hear from children who talk about their big dreams. Hearing directly from the children offers a fresh appreciation of the region’s appeal.

The September 20, 2025 (Saturday) broadcast introduced Oimatsu Elementary School in Oimatsu-cho, Kurashiki City.

Here are the voices of these energetic children.

This article was contributed by FM Kurashiki Co., Ltd. It was edited and published by the editorial team of Haretoco General Incorporated Association.

The information presented was current when this article was published in November 2025. Please note that it may differ from current information.

FM Kurashiki’s “Gather Around! Elementary School Students”

On “Gather Around! Elementary School Students,” the hosts interview sixth graders at the elementary schools they visit, taking an in-depth look at what makes their schools special. Also featured is “What We’re Proud of About Our District,” which introduces the good things about the area and what the children like about it, from an elementary school student’s perspective.

The program also features heartwarming interviews that may even move adults, as children talk about their exciting dreams for the future and express their gratitude to the family members who are always by their side.

This time, the program visited Oimatsu Elementary School in Oimatsu-cho, Kurashiki City. It has 849 students and is full of energy every day.

The children were eager to tell us what makes Oimatsu Elementary School special.

About Oimatsu Elementary School

The first to introduce the school was Ogaki Yuiri. Although nervous, she gave a lively presentation in front of everyone.

She began by explaining four school mottos whose initial characters spell “O-I-MA-TSU,” after the school’s name. Let’s hear what each hiragana character represents.

“O” stands for “a kind and considerate child.”
Students try to help people in need and be kind to younger students. They also have activities such as “Fureai Time,” when students in paired grades spend time together, and “Friendship Week.”

“I” stands for “a child who learns with enthusiasm.”
Students make an effort to share their opinions during class discussions and participate actively in lessons. They are also taking on “management-based learning,” in which they make their own study plans.

“Ma” stands for “a child who works hard with dedication.”
Students make an effort to ask friends about things they don’t understand and to give lots of presentations in class. Ogaki says that another good quality of the “Oimatsu kids” is that they keep studying right up to the end of class.

“Tsu” stands for “a child who builds a strong body.”
Students play outside and get active, working to build strong bodies while having fun. The sixth graders even practiced at home and performed a powerful group gymnastics routine at the school’s physical education presentation.

Next, she told us about how beautiful the school building is.

Oimatsu Elementary School has wide staircases and a multipurpose hall on every floor where assemblies can be held. It is also equipped with barrier-free facilities, creating a comfortable environment for people with disabilities and those who have been injured.

Finally, she told us about the school’s wide variety of committee activities.

For example, the Gardening Committee fills the school with beautiful flowers by watering the plants; the Healthy Living Committee plans initiatives to help everyone stay safe and healthy; the Broadcasting Committee airs programs during lunch; and the School Lunch Committee helps clean up after lunch and introduces the menu and nutritional information. Many committees work to make the school a better place.

Ogaki concluded, “We’re carrying on the wonderful traditions passed down by our seniors while working together to make our school even better,” giving us a sense of the wonderful unity at Oimatsu Elementary School.

“What We’re Proud of About Our School and District,” According to Oimatsu Elementary School Students

Next, we’ll introduce what the children are proud of about their school and district.

Three elementary school students told us what makes the Oimatsu school district special.

1. Warm connections with kindergartens and nursery schools

The first presenter was Hanafusa Juno. She told us about the connections with Oimatsu Nursery School and Oimatsu Kindergarten.

At Oimatsu Elementary School, fifth graders deepen their connections by visiting Oimatsu Kindergarten and Oimatsu Nursery School, and inviting them to the elementary school in turn.

They also learn through practice how to speak considerately to others, how to talk, and how to listen, and apparently practice to become “pair supporters.”

She says that as they repeat these learning and exchange activities, they become increasingly skilled at interacting with friends of different ages. In Oimatsu-cho, efforts are being made to foster communication skills beyond the boundaries of the school.

2. Warm exchanges with local volunteers

Next, Kikuchi Riku spoke about local people who volunteer.

There are apparently many local people in the Oimatsu school district who volunteer at the school. Their activities range from beautifying parks and watching over children and greeting them each day, to morning read-aloud sessions and learning support.

One particularly distinctive feature of Oimatsu Elementary is the chair covers made by volunteers. Kikuchi says that one thing the school is proud of is that the chair covers students buy when they start school can be used throughout all six years.

3. Expanding opportunities for learning and play: excellent facilities in the Oimatsu school district

Finally, Matsuoka Mio told us about convenient facilities near the school.

Near Oimatsu Elementary School are a train station, a library, and a swimming school.

Having a station nearby gives students more ways to travel farther afield, such as by train or bus, and they use it for trips like school excursions. The library is useful for summer vacation projects and other activities, as students can read and do research there in a quiet setting. The swimming school right next to the school lets them stop by after classes to practice swimming.

With such a range of public facilities, students make more friends at other schools and form friendships across grade levels. It’s clear that the Oimatsu school district is a comfortable place for children to live.

Through the children’s stories about what they’re proud of, we learned that the Oimatsu school district has an environment where the whole community looks after and nurtures its children. Let’s all continue to support them so they can grow and thrive.

Children’s voices as they look to the future

After hearing all about what makes the school special, we also asked everyone about their dreams for the future.

Seventeen students answered our questions this time.
We heard a wide range of answers, including becoming a favorite sports star, a band member, a game creator, or the assistant manager of “Japan’s most delicious ramen shop.” It’s exciting to imagine what the future holds for them.

The children’s determination to take on challenges, driven by the things they love, gave us adults great courage and moved us deeply.

Thank you to everyone at Oimatsu Elementary School.