Written by Marketing & Communications EPIC intern Isabella Yacoub '25
This past summer, Benilde-St. Margaret’s students Tobi Ingwalson ‘26 and Andersen Sellers ‘25 had the opportunity to participate in a two-week internship in Japan. They spent the duration at BSM’s partner school, Kaisei Gakuin in Hokkaido, Japan, living with host families. This life-changing experience allowed our Red Knights to immerse themselves in Japanese culture and discover new parts of the world.
This internship is a mini study abroad experience for high school students, helping them prepare for college. BSM has a rich tradition of offering travel opportunities for students, both domestic and international. Ms. Van Cleeve, BSM’s director of admissions, reflected, “Whether you are building homes in Guatemala on our annual mission or experiencing the music culture of New Orleans with the music department, we are committed to providing experiences for students to stretch their limits outside of the normal BSM day-to-day.” As a college-preparatory school, BSM is committed to giving students opportunities that will prepare them for the future.
In Japan, the students attended classes at Kaisei Gakuin and connected with classmates during and outside of the school day. Ingwalson reflected, “It was really awesome to learn new words and phrases while there, I plan on living in Japan at some point so this was a very solidifying experience for me!” By attending these classes, they gained exposure to life as a Japanese student and firsthand experience of Japanese culture. Regarding her experience with the host family, Sellers shared, “It was a little difficult at first due to me being anxious and language barriers, but after a couple of hours of getting to know them it was a lot easier to have fun and learn new things with them.”
Spending time with their host families proved to be one of the most impactful parts of the experience. Sellers highlighted her favorite memories, “I got to visit an aquarium, learn how to make mochi, try a cabbage pancake (Okonomiyaki), visit a Japanese arcade, make sushi, and see the popular tourist locations. I'm super grateful to them for letting me do all this.” These cultural opportunities have gone far beyond the classroom and will have a lasting impact on both students.
Upon returning from Japan, Ingwalson remarked, “I really enjoyed making new friends and visiting the sights.” Sellers shared that they got to participate in many cultural traditions, including a tea ceremony, a flower ceremony, and a calligraphy ceremony all organized by students. They also got to write their own papers during the Tanabata festival. These experiences introduced them to new lessons and traditions they had never heard of before.
Most importantly, this internship has made a lasting impact on the lives of these Red Knights. Both Ingwalson and Sellers noted that Kaisei Gakuin is very focused on community and that there is impressive teamwork and pride among the students as they have been in the same classes together throughout high school. Sellers noted, “Seeing this inspired me to work harder to get to know people in my classes outside of my friends and that's helped me make a lot of new friends.” Beyond schoolwork and their host families, they have learned about how community functions in Japan, and how they can apply some of those traditions to their lives at BSM.
This coming week, students from Kaisei Gakuin will be visiting BSM Saturday, Oct. 19 - Tuesday, Oct. 22 to participate in a similar experience that our Red Knights had this past summer. They will live with host families and shadow BSM students during the school day. The Japanese students will have the opportunity to experience the BSM community and culture, gaining lifelong knowledge and memories from their fellow Red Knights.