BSM welcomed 47 Japanese students from our sister school on September 22. This is the third consecutive year that students from Kaisei Gakuin School in northern Japan have visited BSM.

The Japanese students spent most of the day shadowing BSM students and experiencing Red Knight classroom life. A tree planting ceremony also took place today in front of BSM. The tree is a blossoming tree, similar (but more hearty for Minnesota) to a cherry tree, which is symbolic in Japan. The group from Japan donated this tree to BSM in gratitude for the support BSM has shown. Last spring, BSM students, faculty and staff donated over $1,700 to Catholic Relief Services to help with the disaster in Japan.

The Japanese group arrived in Minnesota yesterday and will be returning to their home country on Wednesday, staying with BSM host families while here.

They will take part in other Twin Cities activities during their stay and will host a celebration at BSM on Tuesday evening. All BSM students are invited, but the evening is planned by the Japanese group as a way to thank their host families for the hospitality during the week.

Makoto Noda, a student from Kaisei Gakuin, is an international student at BSM for this school year, studying as a junior.

You can also read a St. Louis Park Patch article on this.