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| The California Japan Scholars Program |
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Since 1997, over 400 high school students have participated on the California-Japan
Scholars Program, the only state-sponsored student exchange program between
California and Japan. The program was created by California state law
in 1996 to "correct the imbalance of understanding" between Japan and
California by offering California's young people with a valuable opportunity
to learn more about Japan's culture and its people. The program also
assists with arrangements for foreign students visiting California, ensuring
a true exchange of perspectives and promoting understanding between students
in both countries.
On this program, students spend time with a host family,
learning more about Japan and the US from a very personal vantage point.
California participants learn about all aspects of life in Japan, from
basic customs and etiquette at home, to the variety and flavors of Japanese
cuisine, to the intriguing differences in our respective educational
systems. Studying in California gives foreign students the opportunity
to learn more about life in our uniquely diverse and vibrant state, and
will offer them new insight into on our two regions' important economic
and leadership roles in the Pacific Rim.
This program is administered through
a cooperative effort between the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco,
the California International Relations Foundation, the California Senate
Office of International Relations, the California Department of Education,
Japanese prefectural governments, and local California school districts.
For further details on how to participate in this exciting program, please
visit the California-Japan Scholars Program website at www.cjsp.ca.gov or
contact Mr. Paul Somerhausen, Program Coordinator, at (916) 323-9330 or
via email at paul.somerhausen@sen.ca.gov.
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