The Japanese program here at Ridge, though small, is a vibrant and close community. Over the past few years, Japanese students have struggled to keep the program in place, and as of now, it seems as if it will only remain for two more years. However, there is a petition on change.org to reinstate the program.
Eighth grader Lauren Sheng began the petition this year because she, like many other students at Ridge, loves Japanese. Lauren was unable to pursue her interest in the language since it had already been cut at the middle school level, so she began what has become a school-wide push for the reinstatement of Japanese.
If you walked past the Japanese table during world language month and perhaps purchased a delicious Hi-chew candy, you may have noticed the students passing out fliers with the link to the petition (if you didn’t, here it is: http://www.change.org/petitions/bernards-board-of-education-reinstatement-of-japanese-programs-at-ridge-high-school). If you stopped by the table and asked the students there why Japanese was so important to them, instead of the usual ambivalence students have for school classes, you would have found that students were gushing with love for Japanese.
Katie Corrigan ’15 attempted to condense her feelings into a few sentences, declaring, “The thing I love most about the Japanese program is the sense of community it has. We are all friends and we always have fun in class everyday. I love Japanese so much that I want to continue to study it in college.” For students like Katie, Japanese is has opened up a whole new pathway of interest that could be potentially life changing. All students should have the same opportunity as her to learn about this unique language.
Not only does the Japanese program teach Japanese, but it also shares Japanese culture. This summer a group of Ridge students is going to visit a Japanese school, and recently a group of Japanese students visited Ridge. Anita Yang 16’ related her experience: “The exchange student experience was particularly spectacular, as we were able to interact with Japanese high school students just like us. We got to deepen our understanding of their language and culture and they got to learn ours. It was a rare opportunity.”
Students at Ridge were able to communicate fluently and confidently in Japanese with students from across the world, even texting and Skyping the exchange students after they left. Because of the Japanese program, Ridge students were able to expand their worldview and make lifelong friendships.
The main reason the Japanese program has such success and is loved by its students is, as Emily Arakawa ’16 explains, Ms. Wingate, who has “done so much for the program and so much for the students. She makes learning Japanese fun and the classroom environment comfortable for everyone. Her enthusiasm for the program actually makes students want to come to school everyday.”
Ms. Wingate also expressed her pride in the program, especially in her students, stating that, “although our numbers are small, the Japanese Program at Ridge has some of the most dedicated, passionate, and enthusiastic language-learners here.” She believes that it “takes a different kind of person to learn Japanese: someone who will not only challenge themselves and be disciplined enough to delve into a very different culture and learn three different writing systems, but someone who will stick with it for nearly seven years.” After viewing the students success at the language and with the exchange students she has true confidence that her “current students are the ones who will go on to further facilitate and even strengthen the diplomatic ties between the US and Japan” and that “they are truly the global citizens of our future.”
As Cameron Montag ’15 so eloquently puts it, the Japanese Program “is awesome.” Hopefully the program and its amazing teacher will be allowed to continue to thrive here at Ridge High School.