Kankō Gakuen Junior High and High School located in Kanemitsu-cho, Asakuchi City.
There is a course organized by its external organization, the Wakaba Project.
I have heard from a friend who is an alumnus that they have been offering courses for elementary school students and that their child participated. I am very intrigued by the nostalgic names of the instructors and the new course content that I had never heard of at the time.
It seems that the courses for the 2024 academic year (Reiwa 6) have evolved a bit more!
Introducing the Saturday School and Saturday Courses aimed at 4th to 6th graders.
2024 Academic Year (Reiwa 6) "Elementary School Saturday School" and "Elementary School Saturday Courses"
The Wakaba Project's courses for elementary school students started in the 2022 academic year.
Gradually changing since the first session, the "Saturday School" and "Saturday Courses" will be held in the 2024 academic year.
Enrollment will begin on March 1, 2024 (Friday) at 7:00 AM, and will close as soon as the capacity is reached.
On March 2 (Saturday), an "Information Session & Mini Experience Event" is scheduled.
What is the Wakaba Project?
The Wakaba Project is an external organization of Kankō Gakuen.
The representative is Masatoshi Sato, the former vice principal of Kankō Gakuen Junior High and High School.
Since the 2022 academic year, it has been holding courses mainly for upper-grade elementary school students.
One of its objectives is "to contribute to community education while also letting people know the merits of Kankō Gakuen," but it seems that the project was initiated with the intention of addressing the "local issues regarding the acceptance of schoolchildren."
By utilizing Kankō Gakuen's facilities as the venue for the courses and involving the school's teachers in instruction and guidance, it also helps to widely inform the community about Kankō Gakuen, which is a private school.
Saturday School and Saturday Courses
Although the names Saturday School and Saturday Courses are similar, their contents are different.
Let me introduce each of them.
Content of Saturday School
The Saturday School is a year-round program that will be held with great anticipation in the 2024 academic year.
It is scheduled to be conducted on designated Saturdays during the first term (April to July), second term (September to December), and third term (January to March).
The daily schedule includes study time, challenge time, active time, and free time, designed to encourage participants' autonomy and challenges.
Content of Saturday Courses
There are a total of 9 courses offered in the Saturday Courses.
The instructors will include not only teachers from Kankō Gakuen but also experts from various fields.
The Saturday School, which functions as a childcare service, and the Saturday Courses, which are rich in diverse content, are both impressive.
I spoke with Masatoshi Sato, the representative of the Wakaba Project, about the operations of both.
Aiming to Contribute to Community Education
The Wakaba Project was established with the aim of solving issues in community education.
I spoke with him about the background and the establishment of the school and courses.
Can you tell us about the background of the establishment of the Wakaba Project?
Sato (no honorifics)
Originally, there was a situation where not all applicants could be accepted at the local school's childcare service, and there was a discussion about whether Kankō Gakuen could provide childcare services.
In an effort to respond even a little, the Wakaba Project was established.
Since Kankō Gakuen is a private school, a major pillar of our activities is to widely inform the community about Kankō Gakuen.
Parents expressed a desire for a "year-round childcare service," but due to various reasons, it was difficult to hold it on weekdays throughout the year, so we established the "Saturday School" to at least operate on Saturdays.
Can you tell us more about the Saturday School?
Sato
The Saturday School will focus on three pillars: "Study, Challenge, and Active."
Study time will include not only regular subject learning but also a wide range of learning opportunities such as reading and independent research. During this time, teachers and former teachers will provide advice.
Challenge time will involve challenges with an instructor present each hour. We hope that through various experiences, participants will find what suits them.
Active time is about taking action and using the body. We want participants to become thinkers through action.
Additionally, those who want to engage more deeply can participate in both the Saturday School and the Saturday Courses.
Can you tell us about the Saturday Courses?
Sato
Until the 2023 academic year, it was conducted under the title "Saturday Challenge Courses," but for the 2024 academic year, we have removed the word "Challenge."
This is because we want to create courses that allow participants to engage with and get closer to the real thing, rather than just a temporary endeavor of challenging.
Therefore, for the 2024 academic year, the courses will continue from April to July and then from September to December.
What kind of content will be offered?
Sato
We have established 9 courses that we want children to acquire.
The instructors will be teachers from Kankō Gakuen and experts in their respective fields. Some of them are alumni or former parents, deeply connected to Kankō Gakuen.
We hope that the children will acquire real skills.
Can you tell us about the past events?
Sato
In the 2022 and 2023 academic years, we conducted "Saturday Challenge Courses," "Summer School," and "One-Day Winter School."
- Saturday Challenge Courses: Conducted during the first term. Courses included English, physical education, and robotics.
- Children's Summer School: Conducted during the summer vacation period. Various events were held, including study programs and camps for each grade.
- One-Day Winter School: Conducted for just one day during the winter vacation period. Courses related to winter were held.
In the past two years, the number of children who participated has reached nearly 500 in total.
There has been a high participation rate among siblings, and the repeat rate is also very high.
In particular, the Summer School is a long-term program lasting nearly a month, and it has been very popular; in 2023, the capacity was filled within hours after enrollment opened, prompting an increase in the number of spots available.
Participants have come from a wide area, including Bizen City to the east, Onomichi City to the west, and Ibara City and Soja City to the north.
Please give a message to those considering participation.
Sato
Our activities started from the requests of parents, so we believe that the foundation is to respond to the needs of parents and children.
At the same time, we hope that the children will have a fun time.
We hope that while having fun, they will unconsciously acquire important qualities as individuals, so please feel free to join us.
The motto is "Value people, value yourself, value things."
This is also the motto of Kankō Gakuen.
Thanks to the understanding and support of companies and individuals who support our activities, we are able to offer affordable participation fees.
Conclusion
The logo of the Wakaba Project is inspired by the image of a hand supporting a sprouting seedling.
It is said that the idea of the representative, Sato, was designed by a graduate of Kankō Gakuen.
The motto of the Wakaba Project is also the motto of Kankō Gakuen: "Value people, value yourself, value things."
One day during my time at school, I was told, "The order of the motto has meaning. Being in the center means that by valuing yourself, you can value others and things." I was surprised to hear this.
Decades have passed since I graduated, but as I grow older, the motto feels more profound, and I remember "the reason I am in the center."
Like a hand supporting children who are just beginning to sprout and grow, I feel a desire to support children so that they can value themselves.
I hope that children will eagerly seize learning opportunities and look forward to Saturdays.
Konkou Gakuen Wakaba Project Elementary School Saturday School and Saturday Course 2024 Data
| Name | Konkou Gakuen Wakaba Project Elementary School Saturday School and Saturday Course 2024 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 【Saturday School】 Period: Designated Saturdays during the first term (from April 6, 2024, to July 20, 2024) (total of 15 days) Time: From 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Venue: Konkou Gakuen Memorial Hall and others 【Saturday Course】 Period: From April 13, 2024, to July 20, 2024 Time: Varies by course Venue: Konkou Gakuen Memorial Hall and other classrooms |
| Location | 1350 Uzumishinden, Kankou-cho, Asakuchi City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Participation Fee (including tax) | 【Saturday School】 18,000 yen per person (for 15 days in the first term / 1,200 yen per day) Full payment required at the time of application, no refunds during the course Sibling discount available 【Saturday Course】 7,000 yen per course (7 sessions total / 1,000 yen per session) However, for the English conversation video only, 14,000 yen (14 sessions total / 1,000 yen per session) Full payment required at the time of application, no refunds during the course Some courses may require additional material fees *Discounts available for participants of Saturday School 2024 |
| Homepage | Information on "Elementary School Saturday School" and "Elementary School Saturday Course" 2024 organized by Konkou Gakuen Wakaba Project (for grades 4 to 6) |
