Archbishop Jordan Catholic High School

Update: 2010 Japanese Exchange Photos!

During the summer of 2010, numerous ABJ students went to Japan after hosting Japanese students here in Sherwood Park. It was a wonderful experience for all of the students.

To share in the experience, view the 2010 Japanese Exchange Photos

2010 Japan Exchange

We had a very successful exchange in 2007 and now in 2010, Edmonton and Area will host 199 Japanese students from Yamate Gakuin in Yokohama, Japan. 

Purpose
This short-term reciprocal student exchange program is designed to give Alberta students an opportunity to learn more about Japan and its culture and to give Japanese students a similar opportunity to learn about Canada.

Objectives
- To enable high school students to experience family and school life in another country
            - To establish international contacts
            - To develop an understanding of another culture
            - To promote international understanding

Yamate Gakuin
Yamate is a private co-educational school located in Yokohama, Japan.  The school, which was founded in  1966, provides a liberal education emphasizing responsible participation in community and international affairs.  An international excursion is an integral part of the  school's educational program and is compulsory for all Grade 11 students.  Field trips to the United States and Canada and the return visits from American and Canadian students have been prominent events for the school for the past 34 years.

Exchange Program
Each April, approximately 200 Yamate students come to Alberta for two weeks.  During this period they are billeted with Alberta families and attend classes in their host school.  In July, (July 20 – August 4, 2010) Alberta students pay a return visit to Japan and stay with Japanese families. Yamate Gakuin organizes some special day tours for the visiting students.
The only costs to the Alberta student are airfare, ground transportation, insurance and  spending money.  ($2100 for the 2010 exchange excl. spending money)

Any hosting student from a hosting school may apply for the return visit, but, if some extra spaces are available, other students from those hosting schools can apply.

So far, we have had great interest in hosting pairs of girls at Archbishop Jordan but we need your help to host pairs of boys.  Our Japanese guests will arrive Friday April 9, 2010 and will stay with us until Friday April 23, 2010. 

If your family is interested in hosting/travelling, please contact Marge Hallonquist at Archbishop Jordan High School, phone  (780) 467-2121 Ext 148  or
email margeh@eics.ab.ca

2007 Japanese Exchange

This past year Mrs. Hallonquist and a number of students had a successful exchange with Yamate Gakuin High School in Yokohama Japan. Archbishop Jordan High School hosted 32 Japanese students out of the 194 that arrived in April 2007 for a 2 week exchange. They traveled to Japan this past summer in July for 2 weeks to complete the exchange.

The next exchange will be in 2010! See Mrs. Hallonquist for more information about the exchange. Below are some pictures of what students experienced while in Japan this past summer. Click on a thumbnail to see a larger picture.