Rosa Parks Elementary School JBBP Program 2023 Farewell Ceremony

On Thursday, May 25, Consul General Noguchi gave congratulatory remarks at Rosa Parks Elementary School’s Owakareshiki, Farewell Ceremony for their Japanese Bilingual Bicultural Program (JBBP). Thirty-three graduating 5th grade students attended and were bid farewell by the K-4th grade peers and teachers. In his remarks, Consul General Noguchi congratulated and recognized the students’ efforts in studying the Japanese language and encouraged them to continue to be cultural ambassadors between Japan and the United States. He also expressed his gratitude to the school for offering its Japanese language education program, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. Following the Farewell Ceremony, a retirement ceremony for Japanese language teacher Ms. Taeko Morioka and a cherry blossom tree planting to commemorate her retirement were held.