Recently, there has been an increase in high schools and universities that promote volunteer activities, and I hear that some schools allow students to earn credits for them.
When it comes to volunteer activities, some students may feel apprehensive, not know what to do, or hesitate to take action.
The "Kono Hito Kan 1000 Can Project" is a contest that solicits and presents ideas for solving social issues aimed at high school students.
Chihiro Miyoshi (Miyoshi Chihiro), the representative of Kono Hito Kan, a general incorporated association, planned this project with the desire to provide a platform for high school students to shine.
It's exciting to think that the ideas they come up with can be realized in society.
What kind of ideas did the high school students come up with and present?
We will provide a detailed introduction to the events of the "Kono Hito Kan 1000 Can Project Contest" day.
What is Kono Hito Kan
Kono Hito Kan is the warmest canned food in the world, filled with the thoughts of many people.
It makes effective use of food ingredients that are still edible but are discarded, and has been reborn as canned food under the supervision of chefs in Okayama Prefecture.
There are two types: "Niku Kan" and "Sakana Kan," and by simply mixing them with freshly cooked rice, a meal for 3 to 4 people can be easily prepared.
With the support of companies and individuals, it is distributed twice a year for free to children's cafeterias and child welfare facilities through the social welfare council.
It aims to raise awareness about food loss and poverty issues, and through the connection between food and people, it develops projects to deliver warm thoughts to children.
What is the Kono Hito Kan 1000 Can Project
The Kono Hito Kan 1000 Can Project is organized by the general incorporated association Kono Hito Kan, where high school students in Okayama Prefecture think of and present ideas for solving social issues using the canned food "Kono Hito Kan."
The teams that win awards will realize the social issue-solving ideas they came up with after receiving the award.
The activities of the high school students continue even after receiving the award.
Launch of the Second Kono Hito Kan 1000 Can Project
The first Kono Hito Kan 1000 Can Project was held on November 19, 2022.
The second one is scheduled for July 22, 2023, and when the call for participation in the contest was made, 11 schools and 55 teams applied.
Some high schools participated with their entire grade or class, and high school students in Okayama Prefecture thought about how they could solve social issues using "Kono Hito Kan."
Representative Miyoshi mentioned that during the first screening, there were ideas from high school students that adults would not think of, and she wanted all teams to present.
Finalist Teams Decided!
Out of 55 teams, 20 teams advanced from the first screening to the finals.
The selected teams are as follows. *In the order of announcement
| High School Name | Team Name | Title |
|---|---|---|
| Okayama Prefectural Tamashima Commercial High School | TEAM Tamasho ③ | "Making the Community Happy with Konohitokan" |
| Okayama Prefectural Ibara City High School | Everyone's Kitchen | "Everyone's Kitchen PROJECT" |
| Okayama Prefectural Hayashi High School | Let’s delivery | "Delivering Konohitokan to the Elderly via Mobile Sales" |
| Okayama Prefectural Tamano Konan High School | Team S | "Familiarity, Cultural Exchange, Konohitokan!" |
| Kurashiki High School | We can do it | "Konohitokan Project" |
| Okayama Prefectural Yakage High School | Yako Research Team | "Young People Should Take the Initiative!" |
| Okayama Sanyo High School | Cooking Department 2nd Year | "A Society Where We Can Enjoy Food with People Close to Us Starting from Sanyo" |
| Kurashiki Suisho High School | Shiraishi Odori 800-Year Tradition Inheritance Association | "New Year's Preparation on Shiraishi-jima Island" |
| Okayama Prefectural Tamashima Commercial High School | TEAM Tamasho ⑧ | "Tamasho Creation - Satisfied with Konohitokan" |
| Okayama Prefectural Hayashi High School | Team Connecting to the Future | "Spread it to the World! Deliver it to a Bright Future!" |
| Okayama Prefectural Tamano Konan High School | Team D | "Mom's Smiling Project" |
| Kurashiki City Tamashima High School | "The Heart's Wandering Rich Man" IN Tamashima | "A School Education That Leaves No One Behind" |
| Okayama Sanyo High School | Sanyo 1 | "Towards a Society Where We Can Live Healthily Through Food and Nutrition" |
| Okayama High School | Spiderz 4th Generation | "Expanding the Konohitokan Story Through Partnerships" |
| Kurashiki High School | Plant Can | "Breathing Can - The Connection We Should Have with Plants" |
| Okayama Prefectural Tamano Konan High School | Team G - Team Global | "Let's Enjoy Cooking Together" |
| Okayama Prefectural Tamashima Commercial High School | TEAM Tamasho ⑥ | "Towards a Healthy and Smiling Future with Konohitokan" |
| Okayama Prefectural Hayashi High School | Barley Girl? | "Let's Energize Mimasaka with Barley & Konohitokan!" |
| Asahijuku Secondary Education School | Give Dream Food ASAHI | "Red Light for Children's Tears" |
| Okayama Prefectural Yakage High School | Yakage Gaku Team | "Konohitokan for School Lunch" |
About the Judging Criteria
The judging criteria are as follows.
- Social Contribution (Engagement)…Is the proposal aimed at solving social issues using Konohitokan?
- Feasibility (Sustainability)…Is the proposal realistically achievable? Also, can it be continued in terms of cost and workload?
- Utilization of Konohitokan (Idea)…Does the proposal utilize the characteristics of Konohitokan while providing originality with new ideas?
- Empathy (Connection)…Is the proposal such that many people can empathize with its content and want to participate and cooperate towards its realization?
- Storytelling…Does the proposal convey or further develop the thoughts and stories of many people, as Konohitokan, which buys and cooks discarded food ingredients, delivers to those in need?
- Presentation…Is the presentation persuasive, expressive, and impactful?
About the Awards
The awards will be determined by seven judges based on the judging criteria.
The winning teams will receive 100 to 200 cans of "Konohitokan" and will be required to continue their activities based on their ideas after receiving the award.
Second Konohitokan 1000 Can Project - Event Overview
On July 22, 2023, the "Second Konohitokan 1000 Can Project - Social Issue Solving Idea Contest" was held at the Okayama International Exchange Center.
I also participated as a volunteer on the day, so I will introduce the event.
Rehearsal Overview
At 10:00 AM, under the direction of the executive committee chair and leaders, the venue setup began with volunteers and committee members.
Around 11:00 AM, as preparations were getting underway, high school students began to arrive at the venue.
Since the rehearsal was on a first-come, first-served basis, the high schools that arrived started preparing right away.
The high school students, looking nervous, checked their slides, tested the microphones, and made adjustments for the main event.
Presentation
The opening ceremony began at 1:30 PM.
After greetings from the organizers and guests, and the introduction of the judges, the presentations began immediately.
The presentation time was five minutes, and a bell would ring if the time exceeded.
About 180 audience members came to watch the high school students' presentations.
The high school students, while feeling nervous, gripped the microphones tightly and began their presentations as they stood in front of the stage.
They explained the project they conceived using slides, and while keeping an eye on the time, they presented confidently.
The judges also seemed to enjoy watching the high school students' presentations.
The presentations from 20 teams ended in the blink of an eye.
We will introduce what kind of ideas were presented and which teams won later.
Report on the Winning Teams of the First Konohitokan 1000 Can Project
While the judging was being tallied, university student volunteers reported on the support provided to last year's winning teams.
The high schools and teams that won last year are as follows.
Winning Teams of the First Konohitokan 1000 Can Project
| High School Name | Team Name | Title |
|---|---|---|
| Okayama Prefectural Tamano Konan High School | SDGs Study Group | "Disaster Relief Training with Konohitokan" |
| Okayama Prefectural Kojyouike High School | Wasshoi! Tokazu | "Children's Cafeteria × Konohitokan" |
| None | #Okayama JKnote | "Hungry Students, Satisfied in Seconds! 10-Yen Morning Project" |
| Okayama Prefectural Tamashima Commercial High School | TEAM Tamasho | "HAPPY-CAN Konohitokan - Making the Community HAPPY with Konohitokan" |
| Notre Dame Seishin Gakuen | Seishin Girls' High School | Team ♡ Nadeshiko "Flying Konohitokan" |
The high school students may have been imagining their future activities while listening to the first support report.
High School Student Exchange Meeting
The exchange meeting, which was well-received during the first 1000 Can Project, was held again for the second time.
High school students, who usually have few opportunities to meet, had a valuable time sharing their thoughts and ideas and exchanging information with each other.
After the presentations, the high school students seemed to relax, talking to students from other schools and taking photos, enjoying their time in their own ways.
By participating in the Konohitokan 1000 Can Project, there were likely exchanges with other schools and new encounters and connections.
Judging Announcement
The tense judging announcement.
Seven teams were expected to receive awards, but it was decided to also award three special prizes unexpectedly.
The high school students from the teams whose names were called stepped forward to receive their certificates and cans of "Kono Hito Kan."
Introduction of Awarded Teams
The awarded teams are as follows.
Okayama Prefectural Education Director Award…Okayama Prefectural Yakage High School, Yakage Gaku Team, "Kono Hito Kan in School Lunch"
At an elementary school in Yakage Town, they learned from a younger brother of a classmate that there was a lot of leftover food in school lunches, discovering that 25 kg of leftovers were thrown away every day.
To raise interest in food loss, they thought that if "Kono Hito Kan" was included in school lunches, the leftovers would decrease.
They created a video about food loss to be shown in classes, helped with school lunches, and interacted with elementary school students, all while collaborating with local residents to aim for zero food waste.
With a lively presentation, the content was easy for elementary school students to understand and seemed enjoyable.
Okayama City SDGs・ESD Award…Kurashiki City Tamashima High School, "Wishing Stone of the Heart" IN Tamashima, "School Education that Leaves No One Behind"
The idea is to create a space for interaction for elementary and middle school students who currently feel lonely and have lost their place, using "Kono Hito Kan" as a starting point.
First, they will give exchange tickets for "Kono Hito Kan" to local school social workers and encourage non-attending students to participate in the exchange meeting.
At the exchange meeting, they want to let students know that there are kind people in the world by interacting with "Kono Hito Kan" and to touch their feelings.
Additionally, they plan events unique to night high schools, such as can art and a can-kicking tournament.
They presented that this is a social issue-solving idea that only they, who have experienced being non-attending, can propose.
It seems that children will also be interested in fun events such as bartering with "Kono Hitokan" and can art.
I also want to go to the event.
Regional Future Design Award…Okayama Prefectural Ibara High School Everyone's Kitchen "Everyone's Meal PROJECT"
Hinata Ninjou, a student attending the evening division of Ibara High School, appeals that the issue of poverty exists among her friends at school.
Friends who attend school while working often skip lunch or settle for snacks before heading to their part-time jobs, which has become a daily routine.
Therefore, with the cooperation of local people, they want to open a place called "Everyone's Kitchen" where everyone can cook together using "Kono Hitokan" and eat for free in the high school's kitchen.
They announced that they want to continue their activities by selling goods such as picture books they created themselves, rather than ending it with just one event.
The design of the Microsoft PowerPoint used for the presentation was all created by Hinata.
The cute girl character is likely to become popular among children as well.
Other Awards
The other awards are as follows.
- Supporting Company Award…Asahijuku Secondary Education School "Give Dream Food ASAHI"
- Thoughts Baton Award…Okayama Prefectural Hayane High School "Team Connecting to the Future Returned"
- Kono Hitokan Award - Future -…Okayama Prefectural Yakage High School "Yako Research Team"
- Kono Hitokan Award - Thoughts -…Okayama High School "Spider's 4th Generation"
- Special Award…Kurashiki Suisho High School "Shiraishi Odori 800-Year Tradition Inheriting Association"
- Special Award…Okayama Prefectural Hayane High School "Mochi Barley Girls?"
- Special Award…Okayama Prefectural Tamano Konan High School "Team G - Team Global"
Closing Remarks
Finally, Mr. Takayuki Muro, Director of the High School Attraction Promotion Office, Okayama Prefectural Board of Education, gave the closing remarks.
"What makes this contest different from others is that the award-winning teams must implement their ideas as proposed.
Through this contest, I believe you have thought about looking at those in need and challenging yourselves within your capabilities.
Regardless of the awards, there are many things that can be solved with a little ingenuity.
I believe that everyone’s abilities will be demonstrated from now on, so please take on the challenge of solving social issues."
It seems that the high school students felt something personal from Mr. Muro's words.
The seven award-winning teams will take home 100 to 200 cans of "Kono Hitokan," and their activities will begin from here.
The ability to implement the activities they have conceived is thanks to the cooperation of local people and school teachers.
Thanks to the collaboration of many people, the high school students will gain confidence and lead to growth.
Furthermore, the activities of the high school students may be passed down to their juniors and become a bridge between the community and the school.
The Kono Hitokan 1000 Can Project seems to play such a role.
In 2023, for the second time, I spoke with Mr. Miyoshi, the representative of the Kono Hitokan 1000 Can Project.
Data for the 2nd Konohitokan 1000 Can Project
| Name | 2nd Konohitokan 1000 Can Project |
|---|---|
| Date | July 22, 2023 (Saturday) 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM |
| Location | 2-2-1 Honkan-cho, Kita Ward, Okayama City, Okayama International Exchange Center |
| Participation Fee (including tax) | Free |
| Website | Konohitokan Association |
Support project proposal…novelty, ripple effect, sustainability, storytelling, feasibility